


The Way Things Were

by PurpleDragoness



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-21 14:11:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 107,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1553231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleDragoness/pseuds/PurpleDragoness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I cannot and will never be a hero. It is in my blood to seek and cause chaos. Asking me to change that, to throw away who I’ve finally accepted myself to be, that would never work. And so many tried.<br/>"But you, you never asked that of me. You never asked me why I play pranks. You never asked if my magic would be better used for good. You never once told me I was wrong. Ever since we were young, you were always there. Your only question was how you could help me have more fun. "<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**1**

Humans are not the only beings where boys will be boys, rambunctious and mischievous. The same was true for Asgardian boys, always trying to impress their fathers and wanting to prove their worth.

Two in particular consistently managed to find themselves with the healer, Eir, and her husband Andren. The boys were about Eir and Andren's daughter's age, and the two sucked up their pain when the little girl would help tend to their injuries. Andren and Odin would laugh at the boys' antics that got them there in the first place, and after awhile, it seemed like they would do dangerous things just to see Eir and her daughter.

Thor was constantly brash and loud, proudly proclaiming that his injuries would never faze him, despite the amount of times he managed to break a bone in the process. His brother on the other hand was forever calm and calculating. Eir could never figure out how Loki managed to wind up in just as much pain as his brother. Then again, she only had her daughter, Dyre, so she couldn't understand the time tested saying.

When the boys weren't getting hurt and finding ways into the healer's quarters, they would steal away from their lessons to spend time with Dyre. The once quiet girl quickly accepted their friendship, mostly extended from Thor, and they each stayed in each other's lives for the majority of their childhood.

Dyre found common ground with both the brothers. She loved discussing fighting strategies with the eldest brother, and could be found in the stables or learning how to use swords when they were old enough to wield them. She also loved mind games, riddles, and pranks with the younger brother, and her blonde locks could commonly be seen darting from the kitchens after stealing food from the cooks.

However, as they each grew, responsibilities were put in play. Both brothers were reprimanded stricter for skipping lessons, and Dyre found herself sitting in her chambers, being taught how to heal with her mother guiding her.

"But Mother, I want to go play with Thor and Loki today."

Her mother would bite her lip and look at her daughter sadly. "It isn't becoming of a lady to run with boys."

Dyre never understood what her mother meant and she found herself more and more immersed in her studies. There was no time to be spared for fun. Over the course of her studies, she grew into a fine young woman, by Asgardian standards. Her hair fell to the small of her back, which she kept out of her face by tying the top half back. While she didn't have the most beautiful face in the land, it was still hers, and she liked it just the same. Her blue eyes couldn't match Thor's, but they were still nice in her own opinion. She also couldn't figure out when she grew breasts. They seemed to just appear overnight. She had been so absorbed in her healing lessons, she never noticed herself changing.

Luckily Eir had, and kept up with her daughter's clothing until it was certain the young woman wouldn't grow again for a good couple centuries. However, she also kept up with Dyre's moods, and noticed her daughter's growing depression. The princes were the only friends she really had, and they had gone so long without seeing each other. Dyre hadn't been out of the medical chambers in just as long.

"Dyre, why don't you go into town to get the supplies?"

Dyre looked up from her stitching, eyeing her mother warily. "You or Father usually go. What is the occasion?"

"Some fresh air would do you some good. I can't remember the last time I sent you out for anything."

Dyre snorted. She remembered perfectly well. The last time she had been in town, she had run into her old friends. They now had new ones, and a new girl. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three they were calling themselves. Dyre had bowed politely, and hoped they wouldn't recognize her, but Thor did almost immediately, pulling her into the most bone crushing hug she had ever endured.

_"Dyre, my dearest friend, you've grown so much over the years!"_

_He was one to talk. He had grown… thick, in a way. Muscles bulging from wherever they could bulge. Mostly in his arms. "You as well, Thor. It is nice to see you again." She had just opened her mouth to inquire about his brother when the pale boy— man now— emerged from behind the largest of the Warriors. He had apparently been trailing behind, causing little bits of mischief in his wake to keep himself entertained. "Ah, there he is. Loki, it's very nice to see you as well."_

_He merely nodded, never one for much in the ways of talking, though she knew better. When they were younger and alone, away from Thor, he'd tell all sorts of fascinating stories, and hold the most interesting conversations, if one gave him the chance. "Dyre, it has been too long."_

_Their voices had remained the same. Thor kept his thunderous voice, and Loki his quiet demeanor. Dyre always found it funny how the God of Thunder and God of Mischief portrayed their ranks effectively._

_They only gave the briefest of introductions of the others before Lady Sif cleared her throat. "Thor, we really must be going."_

_"Yes, of course, the hunt. Until we meet again, Dyre."_

Dyre sighed and stood, placing her stitching down. "Where would you like me to go?"

* * *

The streets remained the same as always, still full of life and song. Chatter filled the air of gossip, news, and merchants selling their wares. Dyre shifted her basket of medicinal herbs, stopping to look at a bakery stand. Never one to deny sweets, even as a mischievous child, she purchased a sweet roll before turning back towards her home. She paused next to a table selling trinkets, wondering if she really even wanted to go home right away. It had been almost half a century now since she had seen much of the market, and she had to steal glances and small snippets of conversation with anyone who ventured into the medical chambers. Finally having the chance to explore overran her orders to return home upon completion of her task.

Her mind set, she turned around and continued to wander the market streets, pulling at her sweet roll in the process. For almost half an hour she walked, stopping occasionally if something caught her eye. Just as she was about to eat the last bite of her roll, she let out a yelp as it let out a squeak. She looked as the roll turned into a mouse and she jumped in surprise. Until, of course, a familiar laugh met her ears. She grinned and looked to her right, seeing just who she thought she'd see at the top of the stairs. "Still with the childish pranks, Loki?"

He gave his trademark grin. "It still makes females turn tail and run, so why not? Not you though, it seems."

"I'm used to your pranks. We did grow up together, didn't we?"

"Ah yes, that would do it." He flicked his wrist, turning the mouse back into her roll.

She looked at the remaining piece and dropped it, not interested in eating something that was just furry and squeaking. "I take it Thor is off hunting?"

"He's been doing that a lot lately. I chose not to accompany him this time. Seems luck is on my side today. It has been a long time since I ran into you."

Dyre nodded, shifting her basket. "Fifty years almost. The medicinal arts are hard to keep up with, but I'm finally seeing patients."

"And none of them have died? Remarkable."

"Oh stow it." She looked to her basket. "I'm supposed to be returning home with the herbs."

He arched a brow. "Supposed to be?"

She gave a smile of her own. "Decided to play hooky instead. Been a long time since I was able to have any fun."

He rolled his eyes. "You have no idea. Skipping hunting is the only time I get to have fun of my own." His grin returned. "How long has it been since you and I went pranking?"

"Not since we were babes. I…" She looked down. "Not since we were all forbidden from seeing each other."

"What excuse did your mother give you to keep you indoors anyway?"

"Something like, it isn't proper for a lady to run with men. Or boys. Whatever it was then."

He snorted and stood while casting his gaze around. "Well I don't see your mother around. What's the harm?"

She thought it over, wondering if it would be a good idea to add on to her voyage outside the medical wing walls. "Why not? Show me what tricks you've learned, God of Mischief."

He placed a hand to his chest and held his other arm behind him in a bow. "Who am I do deny the request of a lovely mischievous lady?" He joined her at the foot of the stairs and offered his arm. "By the way, Sif runs with men; there's nothing wrong with having fun."

Dyre's eyes widened, wondering if he meant the double entendre she had picked up on. "I'm sure you know that can be taken in many ways."

"As can she, so I've heard…"

"Loki!"

"What? I said I've heard. Don't tell me you're still shy on the topic."

She looked away and let him lead her down the street, looking for openings upon the innocent citizens of Asgard.

"I take your silence to mean you are. I don't see why. Even those lowly Midgardians procreate recreationally."

She rolled her eyes, but smirked all the same when he made a melon vanish from a vender's stack, causing the rest of them to fall and splatter. "I thought you considered yourself above the actions of the humans."

"Now why would I deny myself the pleasure of a female's company? No sense in it."

She lowered her gaze when it suddenly dawned on her that her childhood friends were grown up, far more than she. She had kept to her duties only, and never let herself have fun, even in those ways. She looked in surprise as he handed her a green tinted apple he had stolen from another stand while the vender went to help the melon man. "Don't tell me this is supposed to be the Apple of Discord."

He chuckled. "Don't lower yourself to those insufferable Greeks. You'd make even Eris jealous. It's a peace offering for bringing up such a sensitive topic."

She side-glanced him, trying to see if he was telling the truth. Even she had fallen prey to the Lie-Smith's ways, though she usually ended up kicking him where it hurt when they were younger. "Well then I thank you."

He waited until she bit into it to say, "And what a… sensitive subject it is."

She spit out the apple she had bitten in surprise.

"Now that's not very lady-like. You're also turning a lovely shade of red. It doesn't exactly match my green."

"Oh stuff it." She went to take another bite, but shrieked for a second when she saw a worm poking through the core, eliciting his trademark laugh at her misfortune. "Odin help me, I will strangle you!" She pulled the worm out of the fruit and threw it at him before dropping the apple and storming off.

He rolled his eyes. "Dyre, take a joke!" When she didn't return for once, he sighed. "Women…"


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Dyre had no idea where she was going, nor did she really care to stop and think about it. She just let her feet take her wherever they felt like, making odd turns here and there to be sure he wouldn't end up following her. She had missed Loki, of course, as well as Thor, but she didn't think he was still the childish boy he had been in the past. He was a prince. "You'd figure he'd act more… more princely…" she muttered under her breath, hitching the bottom of her pale white dress up to walk smoother.

The familiar parts of the commons soon became unfamiliar back roads. She started getting a little nervous, feeling as though she shouldn't have been down that particular road. To calm herself, she hummed a tune that she remembered from her childhood, one her mother had taught her. She quickened her pace, trying to get her bearings. Unfortunately, her sense of direction was never top notch.

She turned a corner, thinking it was a proper way out of the slums, and ran into a solid figure. "I'm terribly sorry, I-I wasn't watching where I was going and—"

The solid figure leered at her, an almost amused smile claiming his features. "Well now, what's a fair flower like yourself doing here?"

"I-I got lost and… What are you looking at?"

"You have to understand, it's been quite a long time since a pretty one came my way. Now, let's see about you being lost. I think I can fix that."

Dyre backed up a step, not liking his tone of voice. "I'll-I'll find my own way, thank you."

"Now now, don't you have any manners? When a man offers his services, you accept."

She clenched her eyes shut as she saw his hand reaching for her arm, but opened them when she felt a presence to her side.

"Ah, there you are dearest. Haven't I told you not to run off? Naughty thing, you."

Dyre didn't even mind Loki's teasing at that point. "Ah, yes. I just didn't listen."

Loki grinned at the man before them, who held a surprised look. "Women, they'll never listen, will they? Now, was there a problem here?"

The man paled slightly. "N-not at all, Prince Loki."

"Good. Off with you now."

The man turned tail and fled, but didn't get far. Loki flicked his wrist in his direction and the man proceeded to trip over nothing at all. The man scrambled to his feet and ducked around a corner, where a distinct clanging sound of impact rang out.

Dyre flinched. "What did you have him collide into?"

"Metal, though it seems it wasn't solid enough." He motioned for her to follow and turned around. "Come, I'll walk you home."

She felt an odd sinking feeling as she looked at his back, knowing he was leading her to her chambers where she would probably be kept for another fifty years. She stood her ground. "I don't want to go back."

He scoffed and looked at her. "You really want to stay in this shit hole instead?"

"Well… no, but I don't want to go home. Not yet. I never get to spend this much time outside due to the responsibilities of healing people. I… want to enjoy it more." She smiled. "I wouldn't mind causing panic some more either."

He shrugged. "The day is still young. We have a few hours to nightfall. And there are a few people that have been rubbing me the wrong way lately."

Dyre walked past him in the direction he had originally been heading. "Well then, I think they should learn a lesson, shouldn't they?"

He chuckled, wondering why he and his brother hadn't just ordered her parents to let her out more often. She was too much fun to be kept locked up in the stuffy medical ward most of her life. "Don't play with fire unless you want to get burned, Dyre."

She held up a finger as he stepped closer. "One condition."

"It will depend on what the condition is."

"No more pranks on me. Anyone else, and I mean anyone, but not me. I think I've had enough of it today, haven't I?"

He gave a small wounded sigh and placed a hand to his heart. "Would I really mess with you more than I have today?"

She arched a brow at him.

"Well fine, you know me too well." He waved a hand in dismissal. "Fine, no more on you."

"No lying?"

"No lies."

"Swear it."

"On what?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Swear it or I will never speak to you or see you again. I promise you that."

He scoffed. "Not that I get to see you much as it is." At her glare, he sighed and nodded. "Fine, I swear it on that."

She seemed satisfied enough with the answer. "Well then, who are we pranking?"

He didn't exactly answer. "You'll see when we get there."

* * *

"No! No, no, no, I want no part in this!"

"Don't tell me you've lost interest."

"Loki, this is your _father_ we're talking about!"

"And?"

She spread her arm out over the expanse of the empty throne room. "This is your father! Odin. The All Father! The-the-the … Odin!"

He arched a brow at her. "It's a simple trick that will only last for a few minutes when it activates. Nothing bad will come of it. Not while we're here. You'll be long gone before then." He picked up the helmet that Odin had left on his throne.

Dyre threw her hands up in defeat. "Do as you wish. I want no part of your beheading."

"You wanted to have fun, didn't you?" He whispered an incantation close to the helm and placed it back on the throne gently. "You won't even be seeing the outcome of this. Only a few probably will, but stories will be told of how Odin's helm became a squawking goose for a moment in time."

Thundering footsteps faded in from outside the throne room doors and Dyre's blood ran cold. She looked to Loki, who had also paled. He mouthed "follow me" and led her behind one of the massive pillars off to the side of the throne.

Not two seconds later, Odin stormed through the doors, accompanied by a man completely covered in golden armor. "I will not say it again, Tyr, my son can hunt whenever he so chooses. He is still a young prince… a young man. He needs to rid himself of his excess energy somehow."

Tyr scoffed. "At least it's more productive than—"

"Don't say what we all know. Thor will be fine. He always is. He has his friends with him."

"That and the Lady Sif. How goes the… courtship?"

Dyre fidgeted against Loki's protective grasp keeping her pressed to the column to keep them from sight. She hadn't known there was more to the woman she had met than friendship. She scolded herself for being so naïve.

"It is well, so I believe, but Lady Sif is not like other women. Not many will battle as fiercely as she."

"The valkyrie training with Brunhilda helped immensely, of course."

Odin flinched at the mention of the male-hating valkyrie. "Has he been focusing in his training? Mjolnir will not respond to just anyone."

"It's been progress, but I believe he needs more time."

"Very well. See to it that he is worked harder. How is Loki's progress?"

Tyr cleared his throat as he watched his king shift his helmet into his arms and seat himself on his throne. "Surprisingly well. He's found a fondness for staves mostly. Though that magic of his… It's a rare gift, sire. It could be powerful, if used right, but he only insists on using it for his trickery."

Loki gave a quiet breath of a laugh and Dyre smiled as well.

Odin sighed. "Yes, but you must remember, he is still a young man as well. While Thor has his hunting, Loki has his tricks. So long as they're keeping out of my hair, it isn't a problem." He set the helm on his head, which instantly sprang to life with a golden goose head and flapping wings, squawking and honking up a storm. Both men leapt in surprise and Odin scrambled to throw the helm off. It landed on the stone floor with a clank, all signs of the golden goose completely gone. "LOKI!" Odin stormed out of the throne room with Tyr in tow, looking for the young prankster.

Said young man was holding himself up on the pillar, unable to breathe through his laughter. Dyre couldn't even make a sound through her shaking body until she drew in a deep breath and started laughing as hard as he. "That was amazing!" she commented between her laughter, lowering herself to her knees so she could support her aching sides. "You will be sent to Helheim for this for sure!"

"If the old man can catch me of course." Before her eyes, he shifted into a black-furred wolf, showing he had long since perfected the form of shapeshifting.

"Oh dear, don't tell me I have to fear finding you in places you don't belong."

He gave a playful sounding bark before shifting back, his grin still plastered on his face. "I'm always in places I don't belong, don't you remember?"

"Yes but now you have a way into the women's bath houses without being detected if it fit your desires."

"It could; never thought of it actually. Tell me when you visit the bath houses and I'll test it out."

She pushed at his shoulder. "Lech."

"Wasn't my idea, Dyre. You're just as much of a lech for just having the thoughts." He laughed slightly. "Or is it your obvious virginity talking?"

Her eyes widened and she looked away. "I've no idea what you mean."

"It's an easy fix, you know. In, out, and done. I could help you with the problem, if that is the case."

She stood suddenly, breaking his train of thought. "I'd like to leave now. I think I've been away from home long enough."

He studied her for a second before standing as well. "If that is your wish."

She picked up her basket of herbs and headed for the door.

"Ah, might not be the best idea to just storm out."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I was thinking the emergency exits that were made in case of an invasion. It lets out in your part of the city."

"Fair enough."

* * *

They walked in heavy silence the entire way, making the tension thicker. "I apologize if I've upset you in any way."

"Why would a prince apologize to a lowly medicine woman?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

She turned on him then, almost at her front door. "Why are you poking at my lack of experience? It's not like you can do anything about it, so don't even lie about wanting to help me."

He stood in shock for a second before he started laughing. "Dyre, this is what friends do. At least, this is what Thor and the others do. They speak of their conquests, both in battles and sex. I only assumed with you being less than a proper lady, you wouldn't mind a bit of teasing." His smile faded a bit. "And I never lied. I swore I wouldn't, remember?"

She scoffed. "Sure you didn't." She wanted to say more, but the front door opened, allowing the figure of Andren to stand before them.

"There you are young lady. Where in Helheim's Gate have you been? Your mother and I have been worried sick about you!"

Dyre flinched. "I'm sorry, Father. But I have the—"

"No excuses. Inside, right now!" He jabbed a finger inside the doorway to emphasize his words. He watched with a fatherly gaze as she sulked inside. He gave a look to Loki. "Thank you for walking her home, Prince Loki. I'll see to it that she doesn't bother you again."

Before the prince could even say she hadn't been a bother at all, Andren slammed the wooden barrier closed. To anyone else, Loki would have burned the door down and demanded respect, but Andren had helped him more often than anyone else in his childhood when Thor would almost get them killed. Instead, he did what any trickster would do and shifted a stone to represent a decapitated goat head to leave on the front step. He just hoped Andren would be the one to find it and not Dyre.

She hadn't changed much in the fifty years he had seen her. Not physically, anyway. She still loved to help cause chaos, which sat fine with him. Usually it was just he who had all the fun, all by himself. It was different with someone there to share the joke with, even if she had become the ass of some of them. He only wondered why she was so sensitive on the topic of sex. Though when he thought about it, he had come off a bit strong with his advances, even if he knew she'd never agree to them. She was only supposed to find it as teasing and brush it off like nothing, not take offense to it.

He supposed that men joking about the topic was different than teasing a woman who still had her maidenhood, who had never done more than innocent things out of curiosity. He wasn't sure if she'd be the type to be eager to be done with it, or one who would be tentative to. He surprised himself with wanting to know the answer. He did love mind games, and finding the answer to most anything that puzzled him was what drove him to do most of what he did. The Winternights festival was almost upon the realm. He'd make sure he'd solve the puzzle, one way or another.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

"Dyre! Blasted girl, we need you in here!"

Dyre startled awake, almost confused as to what was going on. At her father's second call, she threw her covers off her frame and donned a robe over her night gown. With no time to find her slippers, she ran down the hall towards the main chambers of the medical ward. She stopped herself by grasping on to the wooden frame, almost out of breath. "What is it? What's the emergency?" She stepped back in surprise as she took in the sight of Thor, bleeding from a deep gash in his leg, being supported by his brother and her father as they took him to one of the beds.

"Seems my foolish brother decided to play the hero and got himself gored in the process," Loki drawled, clearly irritated at being awoken at such a ridiculous time.

But not as irritated as Dyre. Had it been anyone else bleeding, she would take immediate action to heal him. "You couldn't wait until morning to play the hero, Thor?" she said bitterly, but set to work gathering up supplies.

"I assume you've got it from here, Dyre," Andren said. "I'll be heading back to bed now."

Dyre sent a menacing glare to her father's back which Loki didn't fail to notice. "I could set his hair on fire, if that would help," he tried.

"No, leave it alone." She pushed her hair behind her ears and took Thor's pulse. "Still strong, but I need to get the wound sealed up." She grabbed a bottle of liquid from her supplies and poured them over his wound, making the god of thunder hiss in pain. "Oh stop, I haven't even done your stitches yet."

Thor's head fell back with a pained groan. "Do what you must."

She picked up a dry cloth and wiped away the old blood. "There are easier ways to come visit me, old friend. Prick your finger on a thorn next time."

He laughed a bit. "I'll keep that in mind." To keep his focus occupied as she proceeded to stitch together his leg, he kept the conversation going. "Will you be attending the Winters Night feast in two days time?"

"I wasn't aware of it, honestly. Don't I need a fancy invitation to go to anything at the palace anyway?"

"Nonsense. Your family is always welcome, you know that."

"Apparently I don't. I haven't heard anything of any celebrations lately. Starting to think my father is the one who wants to keep me here my whole life."

Thor hissed at a particularly painful pinch. "If that's the case, the invitation is extended only to you. I hope you will accept."

She tied off the thread and began wrapping the wound up. "I accept, though it will be odd going alone."

"I am already acting as an escort, but I'm sure we can find someone for you by then." He propped himself up on his elbows. "Was that it?"

She nodded and wiped her hands on another cloth. "Keep off your leg for a day to let your skin heal itself." She handed him a vial full of a green-hued salve from her kit. "Apply this and change the bandages every few hours. It will help the healing process. The stitches should fade away with each use of the salve." She patted his leg away from the wound. "And now you may go and let me get back to sleep. As you can tell, I'm not dressed to entertain company."

Thor laughed. "Nonsense. It will be like old times."

"Or we could go back to the palace so I can return to bed," Loki muttered.

Dyre nodded. "Just be careful on your way back. Don't rip the stitches. I'm sure you two know your way out." She bowed and said her goodnights before excusing herself to return to her rooms. She made it to the doorway before a hand on her arm made her jump in surprise and spin around. "Don't do that!" she hissed between her teeth. "What do you even want, Loki?"

"To formally apologize for earlier this evening," he said, releasing her arm. "I was only teasing. I didn't mean for you to take offense to anything I said."

She studied him for a second, seeing if he truly meant what he said. In the end, she nodded. "Apology accepted. Just… don't tease me about that. It's not like I can do much about it."

"As I said, it's an easy process. You don't need strings attached…"

"I'm aware." She shrugged. "I suppose when it happens, it will happen. No sense in being attached to something so trivial."

He grinned. "You really are nothing like other women. They hold themselves to a higher standard when they're still untainted by man."

She smiled back. "That's what happens when your only friends growing up are boys. I don't see the point in being proud of a lack of experience." Her smile fell a bit. "I guess if I'm approached and I hit it off well enough with the man, well, why not?" She thought for a second before she grinned. "Who knows? That man could even be you."

"You should know better than to tease a man about these things, Dyre."

"Same can be said about a woman." She shook her head. "Anyway, you'd best be getting Thor home and in bed so he can rest that leg. I suppose I will see you two at the festival."

"About that, I'd like to inquire as to if you would like an escort?"

Her eyes widened slightly. "Well… if you are offering, then yes, I'd like an escort."

"Good. Those things tend to get very dull. I'll need someone there who isn't a stiff to laugh at my tricks." He looked to her open robe and the gown that showed a good portion of leg. "You'll also need nicer clothes. Right now you'd make the most dignified man pant like a dog."

She arched a brow but closed the robe all the same. "You speak as if from experience."

"I may." He bowed slightly. "Until the festival then. I'll see to lugging my hero of a brother home. Maybe a day of rest will clear some of the bullheadedness from his judgment."

She nodded as well while opening the door to her room. "Until then." She closed the door behind her and leaned against the wood, listening to his footsteps fade away down the hall. She felt herself blush furiously as she dwelled upon what she had said. It was all true. She was tired of holding on to her purity. Her father had drilled it in her head that she should remain pure, but why? Dyre couldn't find the importance in it. Wouldn't a man want an experienced woman as a wife instead of one who just lied there and took what he gave her?

She shook her head, hoping that she didn't seem like a loose woman. She wanted sex, yes, but she didn't want it with just anyone. She looked out her window at the retreating brothers, smiling as she heard Thor's thunderous laugh cut off short as his brother nudged his wounded leg. Obviously Thor had said something to mildly offend him. The smile turned to a frown as she remembered what Odin had said. Thor was already courting Lady Sif.

Dyre sighed and discarded her robe before she dropped back into bed. Sleep did not come immediately. She stared up at the ceiling of her four poster, not really as upset about the news as she thought she would be. When she thought about it, it wasn't Thor she got along with the most. He was interesting, even as a child, but they never really connected. She rolled over and screwed her eyes closed, finding her mind drifting down dangerous paths.

* * *

"I know you set me up to do it."

"Did not."

"You did so."

"Now why would I do a thing like that, Brother?" Thor said with a tooth-filled grin as they left the healer's chambers.

"Because you're an insufferable ass, that's why."

"I'm injured here, take pity on me."

Loki rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth in frustration. "You know I don't know pity."

"Sure you do. Otherwise you would have just let Dyre come to the festivities alone. I just proved you like her." Thor was feeling some of the effects of the medicine. It unfortunately had the power to mask pain and leave the wounded in an intoxicated state. It was also making the god of thunder childish once again.

"You proved I don't want to see _our_ friend alone at a time where we should be having fun." He curled his lip at the word fun. His idea of the word was vastly different than what was considered normal by Asgardian standards.

"Oh come off it, you always had a crush on her, even when we were children." His grin grew wider, as if he just remembered something he had long forgotten. "You kissed her then."

Loki's nerves seized as the memory he had buried long ago resurfaced. "I told you to forget about it. It meant nothing."

Thor laughed, but was cut short as Loki nudged his wounded leg. Even through the medication, he felt that. "Ouch! What do you mean it meant nothing? You kissed her! You were happy for days."

"I was a boy. I didn't know any better."

Thor frowned for a moment, trying to think through his haze. "She never kissed me. I wonder why not?"

Loki merely shrugged, not comfortable with answering the question.

"Does she remember doing it?"

He sighed, getting tired of talking. "How would I know, Brother?"

"She'd act weird around you. Shy or something."

Or something was the better term. "Dyre's not a shy woman. She never was."

"Not after we starting playing games with her." Thor stumbled a bit.

"Don't pass out on me. We're almost back. You fall asleep, I'll leave you here for the guards to find in the morning."

Thor scoffed, but kept walking. "You wouldn't do that."

"Wouldn't I? I believe I've done it before in the palace after one of your drinking binges."

He grinned again. "Oh yeah." He looked to his brother seriously. "You've never been drunk, have you?"

"I've seen the joys of what it does to you and the others. I'm not a fan of it myself."

"We'll have to fix that then. It may even get you a woman in your bed."

"I don't need help with that." He kept them both silent as they returned to the palace and entered Thor's chambers. Loki threw his brother unceremoniously on his bed and turned to walk away.

By this time, Thor was fully feeling the effects of the medication. "Brother?"

"What is it?"

"If she does come to you, don't scare her off, alright? She may act tough, but she is still a woman."

"If she comes to me, I'll call her a fool for looking in the wrong places for love."

Thor frowned. "I'm serious."

"As am I. Sleep now. You need it. You look like Helheim itself spat you out." He closed the door behind him, cutting off anything else his delirious brother would add. He knew love didn't have to be in play for sex to happen from experience. However, he didn't want Dyre to just be some nameless woman he took to bed and sent away immediately afterward. He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Why did I ever befriend a woman?"


	4. Chapter 4

4.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Dyre flinched at her father's voice and paused mid-step from her escape into her room. She had almost made it from the washroom after making sure she was completely cleaned up. "Out," she answered simply, hoping he wouldn't ask any further questions.

However, her father wasn't one to leave things alone, or make them simple. "Out? Since when do you think you have the luxury to go out whenever you want?" He stroked his black goatee, locking her gaze with his hazel eyes. "You are a medicine woman. You do not get to abandon your post to flit about and do as you please."

She clenched her teeth, but stood her ground. "Father, I am not an adolescent child anymore. I am an adult. I can choose what to do for myself."

"You still live under my roof; you will do as I say!"

"Well then I won't live under your roof any longer!"

Andren paused in shock, and then laughed, his whole beer belly shaking under his brown tunic. "And where do you think you'll go? You can't even afford a room at an inn, let alone find a place to live and eat." His face grew serious once again. "You are staying in and that is final."

Dyre narrowed her eyes at him, not saying a word. She turned on her heel and walked away.

"Don't you dare walk away from me!"

She whirled around on him. "And what will you do? Send me to the streets? Starve me? I'll apparently go through that no matter what!" She made a dash for her room and locked the door behind her, ignoring her father's yells and threats. She held strong until she heard him curse and walk away, footsteps falling heavy on the stone floors. She broke then, sliding to the floor, muffling her sobs against her clothed knees.

She didn't know how long she sat on the cold floor. At that point in her life, time didn't matter. She knew she had to be ready soon for the festival, but it didn't seem important anymore. Even if she managed to get out under her escort's protection, there would be no coming back. And, if she still knew Loki as well as she had, he wouldn't take no for an answer, even from her father. He had power, not just as a prince, but in gifted arts not many Asgardians possessed.

A soft knock sounded on her door, making her scramble to her feet and step away from it, fiercely rubbing at her eyes. She waited until a second knock came, still just as soft, and waited longer still to see who was behind it.

"Dyre?"

The light feminine voice belonged to only one person in the household, and Dyre reluctantly opened the door for her. "Yes, Mother?"

Eir gave her daughter a kind smile. "May I come in?"

"Yes, of course." She moved aside and let Eir in, closing the door after making sure it wasn't a trick to get her father inside.

They stood in an awkward silence, Eir trying to decide what to say, and Dyre worried that her mother would take her father's side. Eir took a deep breath, folding her hands over her thin blue dress. "Your father means well, he does."

Dyre rolled her eyes and moved away from her mother, tired of the same story. "If he meant well, he would talk to me. See that I am not a child anymore."

"He does not want to admit you've grown into a lovely young woman. You're still his baby girl. Seeing you grown up is terrifying for him." She sat on Dyre's bed and motioned for her daughter to sit beside her. "He just doesn't know how to express fear apart from being angry and trying to keep control of the situation." At Dyre's questioning look, she added, "It is a man thing. A warrior thing. I've given up trying to understand it." The silence grew heavy between them, causing Dyre to look away. Eir bit at her lip. "I'm assuming you've been asked to attend the Winter Nights festival?"

Dyre only nodded. She couldn't tell if her mother would support or hinder her decision to still attend the festivities.

"By whom?" When her daughter remained silent, she asked, "One of the princes?"

Dyre kept stiff for a moment before nodding.

"Thor?"

She shook her head.

"Loki then." Eir sighed. "Well since it is a prince, your father has no say in the matter. You are a royal guest, not just a citizen of Asgard. I believe you should finish getting dressed."

Dyre looked at her in surprise. Until that moment, her mother had never stood up to defend her, or let her do as she pleased. "You're not siding with Father?"

"Not when he is being worse than a common mule in terms of being stubborn." She stood and went to the door to give her daughter privacy.

Dyre continued to stare at the wooden barrier as it closed, leaving her alone once again. She shook her head to remind herself there were still things to do. Lots of things if she would be deemed acceptable for a royal guest. Her heart leapt in her chest at the thought. She only hoped she could escape her home without facing her father again.

Hope, like many other things, is for fools.

* * *

He could only wonder why his father insisted on a carriage. It would have been a short enough walk.

" _Drunks and thieves run amok on the streets these few nights. Do not throw caution to the wind."_

"As if I couldn't take care of myself," the prince sneered to the empty carriage. He looked out the window and sat forward in surprise as he saw a familiar blonde walking quickly down the street opposite of the direction they were going. He rapped on the wall where the coachman was seated. "Stop the horses." He heard the two beasts give a sound of protest as they stopped suddenly and he stepped out of the carriage as soon as they came to a halt. "Dyre, what in the nine realms are you doing?"

She stopped short, letting him realize she was holding her arm over the long sleeve of her dress, as if in some sort of pain. She turned just as quickly, but he couldn't see much of her expression in the lantern-lit streets. "I'm sorry, I should have waited but…" She shook her head, attempting a smile, though not before he could hear something off in her voice. "Shall we get going?"

Loki narrowed his eyes as she came closer, allowing him to see reddened cheeks, as if she had been crying not long ago, though her makeup covered any other indication she had been. "What happened?"

"Nothing, really. We should go before it gets any later."

He wasn't to be deterred. He waited until he helped her into the carriage and closed the door behind them to bring it up again. Especially now that he could properly see her distressed features.

"Dyre, you can't lie to a Lie-Smith. Now tell me what happened."

Again, she only shook her head, turning her attention to the window.

Out of frustration, he grabbed her arm where she had been holding it before and heard her hiss in pain. He immediately loosened his grasp. "Dyre…"

"It is not your burden to bear," she said, her blue eyes narrowed in anger, and in pain.

"Like Helheim it isn't." He paused, picking his words carefully, and more calmly. "If he hurt you…"

She looked away, giving him his answer.

Instead of pressing the issue, he gently pushed the sleeve of her light gown up, taking note with a mental smile at her choice of an emerald fabric, and looked for whatever was causing her pain. He didn't have to look hard. An ugly bruise was forming on her forearm. Without a word, he conjured his magic and set to work mending the bruise.

Her breath hitched as she realized what he was doing. "So, even gods can help the commoners."

He frowned at her words and examined his work. He wasn't perfect with healing spells, but bruises he could tend to. "The way I see it, friends should look out for each other." He looked to her, locking their gazes together. "Especially with this." He looked away and rolled her sleeve back down. "Now, tell me what happened."

She went silent again, this time only to figure out exactly how to say what he wanted to know. "Do you remember how I said I was beginning to think it was my father who wanted to confine me?" She waited for his nod to take a steadying breath and explain everything that had happened up until she attempted to leave. "He yelled more, telling me I did not care if patients died while I was off gallivanting and spreading my legs for random men. He grabbed me by the arm roughly, allowing me to smell alcohol on him, and he told me if I left tonight, I had no home." She gestured to the carriage. "And, so, here I am."

Below her line of sight, he was clenching a fist hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. He knew Andren had been frequenting the taverns more often the past two hundred years. He would do so after every hunt, a ritual the other hunters always took part in. Not long after, he began being such a common face, the barmaid kept an open tab for him to pay whenever he had the chance. He usually paid the tab off with money from the other hunters when they played various card games. He hadn't been aware that he had become violent at home.

She looked at him in curiosity. "Loki? You're quiet. I haven't ruined your evening, I hope?" She took his hands, not noticing how stiff they were seconds before. "Please, don't let this ruin anything."

He shook his head. "It hasn't. It's made me realize I do not want you going back there."

"What?"

He leaned back, taking his hands back without noticing. "Stay at the palace for a few days. Let your father calm down. If you return tonight, it may be worse."

"If I return in a few days it may be worse. He'll accuse me of—"

"I'm saying this as a direct order as a prince," he said, his tone serious, making her shut her mouth. He cleared his throat and checked his tone. "And, I'm saying this as someone who's been trying to look out for you all our lives. Don't go home tonight." The horses snorted as the carriage came to a stop and the coachman stepped down to open the door.

She looked out at the marvelously lit palace, her jaw dropping slightly. "I couldn't…"

"It's not like we don't have enough rooms to spare. I'll tell my father of the circumstances. He likes you well enough."

She arched a brow as he helped her out. "Last I checked, your father was bellowing your name in rage as you transformed his helmet into a goose."

He held up a finger. "Half goose. It was still golden and in the shape of a helmet." He offered his arm as they traveled up the palace steps. "It sort of looked like this." He discreetly pointed a finger at a passing guard, and his helmet immediately sprang to life, honking and hissing and pecking the poor man's nose.

Dyre laughed behind her hand, her troubles long forgotten. "Alright, I'll stay. On one condition."

"You and your conditions," he said with a grin. "What is this one?"

"If this ends up as boring as you made it out to be, don't hold back with making it more fun."

The honking subsided and the clanking of running armor ceased, leaving a horribly confused guard in their wake. Loki chuckled. "Now that is a condition I can stand by."


	5. Chapter 5

5.

A thick stein slammed against the wooden bar, a belch accompanying the mug. "Another."

The barmaid took the stein without a word and refilled it with the strongest ale the tavern had to offer. She placed it in front of him and moved to tend to other customers.

Andren greedily guzzled his ale and placed it down with half a stein left. He stared at it, as if willing it to constantly refill itself. He was in trouble now, and he knew it. Svartalfheim natives took their bets as serious as the next being. If he could not keep his end of the bargain, a lot more would be at stake than just money. He barely noticed a cloaked figure sitting next to him at the bar. His heart leapt into his throat and the grip on his stein began to waver.

"Andren, I hope you've been well," the masculine voice said from beneath a heavy hood. "I'm surprised you aren't celebrating your Winter Nights festival like the others."

"Malak." He tightened his grip. "I know you're here to collect."

"Not just yet. I still have a day, according to our agreement. I am only here to… check on my winnings."

Andren swallowed hard, remembering just how he had gotten into the agreement. He had been so drunk, so sure of himself. There had been no way he could have lost. He had always heard the dark elves were tricky, but he wasn't aware of how good of a poker face a man with a hood would have.

"She is still in prime condition, I am assuming? This will not work if she is not."

He nodded shakily. He couldn't even move his hand to smother himself in his ale to escape. "Please Malak. Reconsider. She's my only daughter."

"Your only child, if I remember correctly." The voice chuckled and the cloak shook a bit. "I see your life is really planned out." Malak quickly stood and knocked the stool out from under Andren, letting the man's chin smack hard on the bar. Just as quickly he held his arm behind his back, keeping him there with his throat pressed against the bar. "I will be at your home tomorrow to collect. If she is not there, or has been tainted, I will know." He roughly let Andren go, allowing the man to fall to the ground and clutch at his throat.

Andren watched through bleary eyes as the dark elf left the bar as calm as he had entered. He could only hope that Dyre wouldn't brush off his warnings and would remain safe, wherever she had decided to go for the Winter Nights festival.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Dyre hadn't forgotten how big the palace actually was. With the entrance hall full of people, it looked a little smaller, but not by much. The vaulted ceilings gave the illusion of more room than there really was. She started to turn towards the sound of music, but Loki led her in a different direction. "I thought we were here to attend the festivities?"

"We are. I need to speak with my father first. He has a habit of being fashionably late to these events." He took her in the direction of the throne room, but stopped a few steps short of the guarded door. "Wait here and I shall inform him of the current situation."

"You don't want me to come?"

"It would be easier if you did not." He walked up to the doors and was immediately let in by the guards.

Dyre fidgeted in place, rubbing at the emerald fabric covering her skin. It had been the most formal thing in her wardrobe. She just hoped it was formal enough. She had already seen some noblewomen as they entered, their hair piled in intricate styles, and their gowns sweeping the floor in beautiful designs. She stared at her own silver threading, admiring the patterns they created.

As she stood, wondering if she had made herself acceptable, she didn't notice the strange looks she was gathering. The noblemen whispered amongst themselves of who she was, since they had never seen her before. The women began to gossip, as females tend to do. All of them shut their mouths as the door to the throne room opened, and their younger prince emerged. Each returned to what they had been doing previous, their eyes glancing towards the others to watch what played out.

Dyre's heart leapt in her throat as her escort returned. "What did he say?"

Loki tried to answer, but noticed the nobles still in the halls, trying to seem like they weren't interested. Instead, he just tilted his head slightly. "Come with me."

She followed his line of sight before immediately matching his pace while leaving the hall. "I'm sorry. I didn't know they were there."

"They are always there. How do you think rumors are started?"

She cast her gaze to the smooth stone floors, much unlike the rough ones of her home. "I apologize if anything is started because of you meeting me in the hall."

He shook his head. "Don't be. They'd only be rumors after all."

She vaguely remembered the hall he was taking her down, remembering the days they'd run from the staff for their tricks and thievery. She stopped, distracted by a familiar door.

It didn't slip past his notice. "Dyre?"

"I was just remembering when we were children. We'd duck into your room and hide from the staff under your bed." She laughed softly. "I think they played along with us." She nodded to the door. "This is still your room, isn't it?"

"Yes. I'm surprised you remembered." A grin emerged on his face. "I'll show you how much it's changed later, if you like."

"If I will be hefting your drunk self up here, of course."

"I don't generally drink much." He continued down the hallway. "You're not much farther away."

She gave a last glance to the door, hearing phantom giggles of the past in her mind.

" _Come on, Dyre! The dragon will get us if we don't hurry."_

" _Oh my brave prince, I knew you'd be there to protect me."_

" _Always and forever. A prince never backs down from a fight!"_

Dyre stopped short as she realized he had waited in front of a door just down the hall, almost bumping into his figure. "Sorry… My mind was elsewhere."

"Understandable, given your night so far." He opened the door and allowed her to look inside. "It isn't much, but you should be comfortable for now."

Her jaw went slack as she cast her gaze upon the polished stone floors and golden-colored walls. It was easily bigger than her room— than two of her rooms. Another door to the right must have held a washroom, making her giddy at the idea of having a private bath and not have to worry about anyone walking in. "It isn't much? This is… beautiful, really." She pulled him into a hug without thinking much of it. "Really Loki, thank you so much. For everything so far."

He had stiffened slightly at the contact, but allowed it all the same. He returned the embrace, catching a scent unique to her. It was one of the local flowers he couldn't put a name to, but he could visualize the lovely petals all the same. "You're welcome." He allowed her to stay as she was for a moment longer before he cleared his throat. "We should probably go to the main hall before the rumors really take flight."

She arched a brow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she pulled back. "Who said they had to be rumors?"

He felt a small shock go through his body. "Would you mind clarifying your inquiry?"

"I mean, couldn't we play along? Laugh at their expense?"

Loki was surprised to feel a sort of disappointment by her words. "We could. Or we could make them happen."

She rolled her eyes, but continued to smile. "Didn't I tell you I'd need to make a certain connection with the man I sleep with?" She folded her arms behind her back. "Play your cards right and you just may be it."

"Be careful, I play dirty."

"As do I." She placed a hand on his shoulder, her grin fading. "Playing aside, I really appreciate what you're doing for me. You could have escorted any noblewoman of the realm."

He snorted and offered his arm so they could return to the main hall. "Now why would I do that when I could escort a lovely young woman who can match my intellect, not scold me for my nature, and make me laugh?"

She nudged his hip with her own. "I hadn't realized noblewomen were so frightfully dull. I suppose they didn't have as much fun growing up as we did."

"It is their idea of proper, and my idea of dreary."

They fell into a comfortable silence as they returned to the main event. She cast a glance at him, taking in his features. He had dressed well for the occasion, though the clothing resembled the ones he'd wear when hunting with the others.

He caught her glance and smiled to himself. "By the way, I never complemented you on your appearance tonight."

She cast her gaze downwards with a small smile. "Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself."

He placed a hand on the solid wood doors. "Are you ready to make noblewomen jealous?"

She gave a lighthearted laugh. "Only if you're willing to make noblemen the same way."

"The night is still young." He gave a hard shove to the doors, letting her see the rest of the guests for the first time. All were dressed in their finest. Even the hunters and warriors had their best armor on. She could see Thor at the high table with Lady Sif and his three friends, laughing heartily and eating a meal fit for a king. As she thought about it, it was fitting Thor would have such a table, since as the eldest he would receive the throne. She had always wondered how Loki felt about it, but when asked as a child, he would shrug and merely state he only wanted to be Thor's equal. Her heartbeat began to quicken as her escort led her through the dancing couples and up to the high table where he pulled out a chair two down from Thor for her. "I couldn't—"

"You can and will," he said. "You are my guest, and as such, you sit with us."

Not willing to argue in front of the countless eyes upon her, she took his invitation and sat in the chair, instantly relaxing when Thor noticed her arrival.

"Dyre! How have you been my dear friend?"

She smiled at him as Loki sat between them. "I've had better days, but I can't complain. How is your wound?"

"Fully healed thanks to your wonderful medicine."

"As is his mind," Loki muttered, gaining a giggle from Dyre.

"Yes, I apologize for the large dose of pain medication in it. With you being you, I thought it would be appropriate to use my strongest batch. Have the stitches all dissolved as well?"

Thor nodded, raising his mug of ale. "Yes, everything is back to normal. I can't thank you enough for helping me."

Lady Sif smiled from his left. "Yes, thank you for helping with the oaf's boar wound."

Dyre inclined her head. "Of course."

A sudden roar of cheer from their far left made her jump and the larger member of the Warriors Three stood behind her, clapping her on the shoulder. "So it was you who put our boy Thor in such a state. I wanted to thank you for making him so damned hilarious to be around!"

She sifted through her memories for his name. "Volstagg, right?"

He gave another hearty laugh as the other two came to stand beside him. "Aye, I'm very honored you remember me."

"You are a hard man to forget. So what did Thor end up babbling about?"

"Anything a drunken man will say. Said some things that made even Lady Sif turn a shade darker."

Thor shook his head but his grin never left his face. "I suppose this will be my new form of torture from the three of you."

"But of course," the blonde said, one that Dyre remembered as Fandral. He held his hand out chivalrously to Dyre. "Would the lady care to dance?"

"Yes, I would, thank you." She took his hand and allowed him to lead her from the table, completely unaware of how her escort bristled slightly to the other man's advances. She followed Fandral's lead into a waltz, remembering the easy steps fairly quickly.

"It's been a very long time since we've seen you, Miss Dyre. What has been keeping your attention?"

"The medicinal arts are a very tedious thing to learn. I need to learn the difference between poisonous and helpful herbs, I need to know anatomy down to the last nerve ending, I need to remember what will cure what, and what will make an illness worse."

Fandral put a finger to her lips to silence her. "It is a lot. But, you are here amongst the public having what I hope is a joyous time."

She felt a little insulted at being interrupted. "Yes, only at the insistence of Loki. Otherwise I fear I would still be at home, alone with my books and paintings."

"I see. So you paint?"

"I try to. My inspiration has been lost for awhile now."

"I'd love to see some of the things you have done." He lifted his arm to spin her around and resumed their posture afterwards. "A woman who paints must have beautiful images to show."

She glanced at the high table, seeing her escort immersed in a mug of something. She couldn't tell what. She narrowed her eyes, remembering him say that he didn't tend to drink much.

Fandral took notice to her lack of attention on himself. "So why did you come with Loki of all people? He's not the most tolerable of people to be around."

This had Dyre's attention. "What do you mean?"

"Always causing trouble for a laugh. Damn good hunter, I'll give him that, since he knows his way around a spear and a staff, but other than that…" He fished for words for the rest of his observation. "He's arrogant, and not happy unless he can embarrass someone. He doesn't look out for anyone but himself."

She shook her head. "That isn't true. I've known him all my life, he isn't like that."

"That could be because you are an attractive woman. He has a tendency to lie to get them to sleep with him."

Her blood ran cold at the thought of him only being nice to get her to sleep with him. "You're lying."

"Why would I? Can you deny that he's a trickster? A liar?"

"I can't but…" She shook her head, pushing away from her dancing partner. "Don't insult my only friend like that." She narrowed her eyes. "Remember I've studied every possible way to keep someone alive. It doesn't take much alteration to cause pain." She tried to walk away, but was stopped by Fandral. "Let me go."

"Not until you hear me out." He looked to the orchestra as they started another song. "Please, one more dance."

"So you can do what?"

"Formally apologize. I didn't mean to upset you." He glanced around. "Please, people are staring."

She followed his gaze, seeing there were indeed many eyes upon them. "Fine. One more." She flinched as he put a hand on her hip, but otherwise said nothing.

"I'm only trying to look out for you as a young woman, but I see you know how to protect yourself."

"I did also grow up with Thor. I know my way around weapons."

"You would have been better off coming with him."

She shook her head. "He was already acting as a consort for Lady Sif. They're… courting, so far as I know."

Fandral nodded, glancing at his friend who was still drinking himself blind with Asgard's strongest ale. "His father is insisting he court her. She'd be the best match for him, so says Odin."

"But you seem to disagree."

Fandral frowned in thought. "I do. Lady Sif is a fighter. She is not really wife material. Not for Thor, anyway."

Everything he was saying made her more and more angry. First he had insulted her escort, then he insulted her gender. She made one more attempt to see what he really thought. "So why would I have been better off with Thor?"

"He'd be more willing to protect you. He isn't selfish or arrogant." At this Dyre arched a brow. "Well, not Loki arrogant anyway. Thor at least cares for his people."

"And Loki does not?"

"He is more interested in seeing them suffer under tricks and lies. As long as I have known him, this is what he's been like."

" _Don't worry, Dyre. I'll always be there for you."_

She shook her head. "That shows how much you know." She stepped away and curtsied. "Thank you for the dance, Sir Fandral. I do not hope you have a pleasant evening." Without seeing his reaction, she returned to the high table, watching Loki pour another mug of something for sure not ale. It smelled stronger. "I thought you didn't drink."

"First time for everything I suppose." He raised the mug to her and knocked back the contents. "Was Fandral's dancing not to your liking?"

"His attitude wasn't." She took the pitcher of what he was drinking and poured a mug for herself.

He grinned. "You might not want that. It's stronger than you think."

"And what will it do? Reach over and bite me?"

"It won't. I might."

Her breath hitched for a moment until she could shake it off. "Is it true you lie to women to get them to bed?"

He paused with the mug next to his mouth. He set it down as she knocked back the alcohol bravely, coughing at the burning sensation as it went down her throat. When she calmed down, he finally answered. "I did, until they became a monotonous blur. Since then, I've been alone in my bed for quite some time."

"Fandral said you were lying to me."

A flash of anger simmered in his gut along with the slowly working alcohol. "Is that right?"

"I think he should pay dearly for that, don't you?"

He stared for only a second before he laughed. "This is why you are here." He leaned in closer so only she could hear him. "What do you think I should do?"

She looked out over the crowd, spotting Fandral talking to a few noblewomen, obviously trying to win them over. She contemplated his punishment for awhile, now wisely sipping at her liquor. "Can you enchant him to say something to embarrass himself?"

"I can."

She smirked. "He's obviously trying to woo at least one of them. So if his goal is a romp for the night, make him say 'I have a small, unsatisfying penis'."

He laughed at her remark. "It's very childish, I'll have you know."

"I do know. That's why it's perfect."

Loki gave a discrete flick of his wrist towards Fandral, and they watched as his mouth continued to move as his eyes grew wide in embarrassment, and the noblewomen began screeching with laughter. They walked away, fanning themselves with their elaborately designed paper fans, giggling behind the material. Fandral looked angrily in the direction of the high table, and the two merely smiled and waved innocently.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

"Now I see why you've said this is dull. I appreciate your magic all the more now."

"As do I."

Dyre almost jumped as a presence sat next to her, and she visibly paled when she turned to see Odin. "G-good evening, my lord." She inclined her head.

"Dyre, it's very nice to see you again. I hope you found the accommodations to your liking."

She nodded. "Yes, I did. I am very grateful that you are allowing me to stay. I cannot thank you enough."

"Your mother and yourself have helped me more times than I can count in the past. It is about time I do the same for you. I am sending a messenger to your home in the morning to ask for Andren's presence here. You will not have to see him," he added to her concerned features, "but I need to know what has happened to him. He is one of my best hunters. I can't have him acting like this with his drinking. He could get someone killed."

She inclined her head once more. "Thank you again, my king."

Odin smiled. "Enjoy your night, Dyre. Everything will be taken care of." He turned his attention to Frigga on his right, ceasing the conversation.

She looked to her left, seeing Loki staring at his mug, deep in thought. "If you want it to refill, you need to use the pitcher."

He seemed to come back to the present. "Yes, of course." He poured himself another drink as she picked at some of the fruit on the table, not in the mood for a heavy meal.

She frowned at his actions, but didn't get a chance to say anything before Thor drunkenly challenged Loki to a drinking match. She was surprised when he actually accepted. Thor handed him a large mug filled to the brim with strong ale, and held one for himself. The nobles cheered on the brothers as they both knocked back the mugs, seeing who could finish the brew first.

Thor was the first to slam the empty stein on the wood table, throwing his fists in the air in victory. Loki frowned at his remaining few sips, though shrugged and finished it anyway while the crowd roared for its victorious prince. Thor clapped his brother on the shoulder. "A fine match, dear brother. You did well in keeping up! I thought you did not like the game. I expected you to decline."

Loki shrugged. "Things change. For instance…" He looked to Dyre, a grin taking over his face. "Would you care to dance, Dyre?"

She almost choked on the wine she had found. She wasn't given enough time to answer before he led her down from the table and brought her to the floor. He bowed like a gentleman and she curtsied in response before leading her into another sort of waltz. "What are you playing at?" she asked.

"I'm trying to give us an excuse to get out of here," he muttered. "Play along."

"And where will we go from here?"

"It's a secret." He spun her and pulled her back. "Though I must know before we leave, have I made a connection?"

She studied him for a moment, wondering what he was talking about. When it hit her, she immediately blushed. The alcohol made her tongue a bit looser. "You always had one. I… just needed to see how much you changed."

"And? Have I changed much?"

She looked at his face, and for the briefest moments, she saw him as a boy again. He retained his mischievous smile, one that suited him well whenever he did it. When he was excited about something he thoroughly enjoyed, his eyes lit up and could always make her smile. He was different physically, that much was for certain. They both were. Mentally, he had matured in his own way. "To me, you haven't changed for the bad, despite what Fandral tried to have me believe."

She could see him try to fight with himself to bite his tongue. That, and she could tell the alcohol he had ingested was finally taking effect. "Do you remember the night before we parted ways? How we thought we'd be apart forever?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected him to remember that night. "Yes, when we were silly adolescents still. What about it?"

"Do you remember what we did under the stars?"

She did, of course. Not many could forget something like it. She only nodded, her heart pounding, wondering where he was leading the conversation.

"That kiss, I'd like to do it again. As well as everything else."

Her breath hitched and she thought her heart had stopped. She hadn't expected the night to take that sort of turn. "I haven't… I haven't touched another man besides you. I don't know what to do besides what we did." She shook her head. "I'm not fit for a prince's bed."

"You are if I say you are." He leaned closer to her ear. "Play along with my little performance, and I'll show you just how worthy you are."

Her nerves flashed, not in her gut, but further down in a place she had long since forgotten. She kept him where he was so she could ask him, "Are you sure this isn't your copious amounts of alcohol talking?"

"I haven't had as much as you think. My tongue is looser, yes, but I'm still in control of my actions."

The orchestra stopped their song and the two split apart with him keeping a heavy arm over her shoulder. She almost buckled under his weight. "What on Asgard are you doing?" she hissed.

"Acting." He sauntered up to the table with her support. "Thor! Brother tell me, tell me this, are you willing to do another round of drinking with me? I can beat you this time!"

As Thor tried to answer, Dyre cut him off. "Oh my. I think Loki's had a bit too much already."

Loki scoffed. "No I haven't. Another round!"

"Yes you have. You're cut off. I should get you to bed before you get sick in public."

Loki went to say something, but clapped a hand over his mouth, as if he were about to do just that.

Thor looked concerned. "Shall I help you back?"

Dyre shook her head. "No, I remember my way around. I'll take this lush back to his room and make sure he stays there the rest of the night." She noticed his smile behind his hand, seeing him pick up on her double entendre. If he wanted to play dirty and trick his family, she would play dirty as well. "Thank you for the wonderful evening I may have otherwise missed out on." She pulled at his arm. "Come this way, you drunk. I don't need you ruining this dress."

He went without a fight, still keeping his stumbling gait up for appearances. Once outside the door and away from the sights of the nobles, he fixed his posture and dropped his acting. "Very fine work."

"Same to you. How do you know how to act like a blithering drunk?"

"It isn't very hard when your brother has been drunker than thought possible many times before." He grinned at her. "So how are you planning to make sure I stay in my chambers the rest of the night?"

"I'll think of a way."

"You'd better think fast then."

"And why is that?"

"You haven't noticed? I'm getting better then."

She looked past him, not seeing the columns of the halls that she saw just a minute ago. Instead, she looked around, finding herself in his room, lit only by a crackling fire in the fireplace. "I forgot you could do that."

"There's many things you don't know that I can do. And I intend to show you just what they are." He backed her into the closest wall, hearing her squeak at the impact very slightly. "If you still want to, of course."

She nodded, but pressed on his shoulders as he tried to get closer. "I just need to know though. And don't lie to me. This… what we're doing. I want to know that it isn't something small to you, like the others."

He smiled at her childish worry and made a note to trip Fandral over a wine barrel later. "This is nothing like the other encounters I've had. Don't think like that. It will ruin it." He ran a hand up her clothed arm, stopping at her shoulder. "Just relax."

She nodded and let her arms slacken and rest against his chest. Her heartbeat quickened, her nerves mounted as he closed the space between them and kissed her gently, testing how far she'd let him go. She went lightheaded, knowing that their kiss years ago was nothing compared to now. She slipped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer, wanting everything he had to offer.

He felt her shift her lips open and he took the invitation greedily, feeling a rush like no other. In his head he planned out all the ways he would take her, over and over again. Until, of course, he remembered the vital piece of information. She was still untainted. Instead of discouraging him, it made him want it more. To be able to say he was the one who took away her purity… But to do it, he needed to take it slow. He moved only to latch on to the skin of her neck, finding a sensitive spot.

She rolled her head back and a small smile emerged. "Would you like to hear something I find amusing in this?"

"Hm?"

"I always had a crush on you. From the day we met. I'm sure it was obvious when we kissed and fooled around years ago, but I don't think I ever said it."

He laughed against her skin, still determined to make blemishes appear at his touch. "I knew, in a way." He kissed the skin again, biting down hard enough to leave a small bruise, loving the sound of her whimpers. "If we're being honest, I did as well." That night had not been enough for him. It left him wanting more. He supposed she had been the start to his endless lust as he matured. The women he went through were never enough, never what he was looking for. They didn't react to his touch like she did, and they didn't respond in kind.

She felt her nerves clench as well at something else in her lower body. She slid her fingers through his hair as he moved back to her mouth, satisfied with the bruise he left on her neck. After a moment she realized she wasn't being pressed to a hard surface anymore. She surmised he had teleported them again, this time to his bed. However, a breeze that hadn't been present before made her pull back and look. She yelped and covered herself as she realized he hadn't transported her dress with them, leaving her completely exposed.

He laughed at her and lowered his head to rest on her bare shoulder. "Don't hide from me. I'll have to see it all anyway."

She frowned, seeing he was still fully dressed. "Now that isn't fair."

He sat back and leaned against the headboard, giving her a challenging smile. "Do something about it then. I need to see how much you want this."

Dyre swallowed her embarrassment and sat up as well, slowly crawling over his form, almost catlike. She licked her lips and set to work unfastening the small amount of armor over his clothes. She had trouble with some of the buckles, only because her hands were shaking with trepidation.

It didn't slip by his observant eye. He chuckled and held her hands to keep them steady. "Relax, Dyre. You can't enjoy this if you do not let go of your fear." With a small motion of his hand, his whole armor vanished, leaving him in just his leathers. "This should be a little easier."

She nodded and set to work on the shirt when he let go of her hands, finding this task much less complicated. She undid the fastenings until there were no more to pop and spread the shirt open, revealing his pale torso. She didn't even want to stop herself when she ran her fingers down his smooth skin, feeling the hard muscles beneath from years of hunting and fighting. She only stopped when she met the line of his pants, and waited for him to nod before going any further.

He was getting frustrated, but he held his temper in check, knowing she was still new to quite a bit. When they had fooled around almost a century ago, their clothes had remained on. That, and they weren't as grown as they were now. It was sentimental then, and almost carnal now. He hissed as he felt her hands on his sensitive flesh, noticing a vast difference from when they tried it before. He saw her look tentatively up at him before lowering her lips to him, almost making him want to rush the process and make her his. Instead, he kept his lust reigned in as best as he could, moaning as she continued her exploration with her mouth.

She didn't bother trying to remember anything that had happened before now. Whatever made him moan or hiss was what she stuck with. She felt her own need rising, but it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to her was pleasing the man before her, who had stuck his neck out for her to stay in the palace when her safety had been compromised. Who had done anything he could to see her out of harm's way. Whatever anyone said about him didn't matter. If he was kind to no one but her, she could accept that.

"Mm, harder." He hissed. "Good girl, just like that." He pulled the pin keeping her hair out of her face and watched the blonde tresses fall over her shoulders, almost mesmerized. He grasped her hair in his fist and used it to guide her in the way he wanted, eliciting a groan of pure pleasure from his lips. "You are a dirty player, aren't you?"

She couldn't answer. More so, she didn't want to. She was so absorbed in her actions she didn't want to stop, even though her jaw was beginning to tire. She looked at him curiously as he tugged her hair to make her stop. "It doesn't feel good?"

"It feels amazing, which is why I need you to stop. Otherwise tonight ends too soon." He switched their positions, pushing her gently back so she could lie down. He pinned her body with his own, still partially clothed while she laid bare before him. "Now I believe I said something about showing you how worthy you are of being in a prince's bed…" He started up their kiss again, letting his hands wander down her chest while she was distracted. He played around with the small orbs for only a moment before slipping his hand down to where she wanted him to touch most. He grinned as she gasped. "You're soaking wet. I'd say you were ready enough, however, I should do something first."

She had no idea what he meant until she felt his fingers move in a stroking motion over her bundle of nerves. She jumped in surprise with a moan, scared and excited at how good just a simple stroke could feel. "Loki…"

He did it again and again, entering a set rhythm. He heard her moans and sighs escalating, felt her twitches get more intense. "Call for me Dyre. Don't hold back."

A coil wound itself in her lower belly, scaring the daylights out of her, but it felt too good to tell him to stop. When the coil snapped her head fell back and she couldn't hold back the borderline scream of delight, calling his name as he continued relentlessly. "S-stop, no more. Please, Loki."

He vanished the rest of his clothes, leaving himself as bare as she was. He stopped teasing her and held himself at her entrance, waiting for her breathing to regulate again. "This is going to hurt. A lot. I cannot stop that, but I wish I could." He pushed some of her bangs out of her face so he could see her properly. He stared into her eyes, seeing her nod in acceptance. He found her hand with his and held it while he did the only thing he could to make the pain subside sooner. He forced himself inside with one quick stroke, hearing her gasp in sudden pain.

Hearing about it and feeling it were two entirely different things. Dyre saw white flash over her vision as she clenched hard on his hand. She had heard all her life it would be painful the first time. She wasn't prepared for how much. Luckily, he seemed to understand, and held himself completely still, waiting for her body to adjust. She leaned up and locked her lips with his. She shifted under him, hearing him hiss in response. "I haven't hurt you, have I?"

He stared at her in bewilderment before chuckling, hanging his head. "I should ask you that. But no, you haven't hurt me. However, I'm going to start moving. It may be uncomfortable for a bit, but bear with me. It will get better."

She clenched her eyes closed, expecting more pain, almost regretting her decision to rid herself of her virginity. More pain did come, but every time he moved inside her, it would subside. Soon only pleasure stood in its wake, leaving her breathless. She felt scared, but happy at the same time. Instead of losing her purity to a random man, she was losing it to just the man she always wanted. The pressure in her body started to grow again, this time different entirely. She wrapped her arms around his back and dug her nails in, just to feel like she had some stability as her world was turned upside-down.

He felt the bite of her nails, but took it as a sign of doing a job well done so far. It meant her pain was gone, only to be replaced with what he hoped was absolute pleasure. From the way she was staying so slick, it was obvious he was. He moaned as he felt her walls convulse, hinting towards another orgasm soon, one that he would be able to feel entirely. He lifted her hips, instantly gaining more depth in his strokes and her walls tightened almost painfully around him.

She begged him not to stop. She wasn't sure what she would do if he had. The orgasm set off the starts of a chain, and just when one washed over her, another was in its place. She curled her fingers in his black locks, tugging slightly. She was surprised when he gave a particularly hard stroke in response.

"Naughty girl," he rasped, feeling himself reach his limit. "Keep begging for my cock."

Instead, she bit into his skin, leaving her own mark while her nails raked over his back as the most intense orgasm took hold of her, making her scream in pleasure into his flesh.

The pain mixed with pleasure triggered his own release. He gave a few short strokes, pulling away to spill on her belly, completely at a loss of breath.

Her own chest heaved as she came back down to reality. She reached up and kissed him. Words were not required as their hearts slowed down again, still drumming loudly against their rib cages. She knew this was to be a no-strings-attached arrangement, he had made that part very clear, but she couldn't help the feelings of attraction coming to the surface. When they pulled apart, she almost expected him to send her on her way back to her temporary room down the hall. Instead, he surprised her for the countless time that night and fetched a towel from his washroom for her.

"Sorry about that, but I doubt you wanted the alternative. It's a bit of a pain to clear off." He laid next to her, keeping her securely held against his body once she was through with the towel. Still unsure as to what to say, she accepted the embrace and welcomed sleep that tugged at her eyes. "By the way."

She lifted her head to look at him, seeing his eyes closed. "What?"

"I've no more use for you. Get out."

She felt crushed for only a moment until he started laughing, looking at her with mirth in his eyes. "What's so damned funny about that?"

"Dyre, I'm only joking." He stopped chuckling when he saw she wasn't amused. "Alright, I admit that was in bad taste."

"I should leave just for that." She squealed as he held her close to his chest, cutting off any means of escape.

"No, you're stuck with a bedmate tonight." He paused for a moment. "Though you're in my bed, so I suppose I have a bedmate." He shrugged. "Regardless, you're staying here."

"I see I don't have much choice in the matter."

"None whatsoever."

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine. But no more jokes like that. That one stung."

He held a hand to his chest, over his heart. "Accepted. No more cruel jokes towards you." He used his magic to put the blankets over both of them, since he had deposited their bodies on top of everything earlier. "Sleep now. You'll need it while you can get it."

"What about my dress?"

"You don't need it right now. I've seen you naked, you've seen me naked. Harm is done."

She found no point in arguing further and resigned herself to attempt to fall asleep. She listened to the crackling fire that had been their only light source, trying to use it to lull her to sleep. When his breathing evened out, indicating he had achieved what she could not, she opened her eyes just a bit to study his face. The boy she once knew still looked back, just more mature and wiser with his years. Even though he had not grown sturdy like his brother, his slight build was perfect for his form of fighting, and, she mused with a light blush, perfect for other things.

If this was to be a one-time-only circumstance, she found it had been worth it. She knew she most likely wouldn't be thinking the same way when she woke, but for now, things seemed to fit in place. She let out a soft sigh and attempted to sleep again, finding it a bit easier this time. Everything felt right with the world, and her dreams echoed that feeling.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

Eir took her time returning home after collecting more supplies for their inventory. She had been furious with Andren when he laid a hand on their daughter, and promptly threw him out for the night once Dyre had a chance to flee. She only hoped Dyre had been picked up by the right person and not a stranger out for one thing and one thing only. There had been no alarm from the guards about the night prior, and so she relaxed during her stroll through the marketplace. To their knowledge, no one had been harmed during the festival, putting her at ease.

She shifted her basket as she approached her door, but narrowed her blue eyes as she saw it very slightly ajar. She figured Andren had slipped in while she was out, sleeping off a new hangover. She rolled her eyes and growled low in her throat as she flung the front door open. "Don't think that pity me act will work this time Andren!" Her eyes widened and she lost her grip on her basket. "A-Andren?"

Her husband lay unresponsive on the rough rug that took up their living quarters, close to the area where they took their patients.

The basket dropped from her grip and her herbs spilled on the floor as she rushed to his side. "Andren! Answer me!" She felt for his pulse and despair racked her body. "No… no! Andren!"

* * *

Dyre jolted awake, sitting up and clutching at her heart, feeling it race beneath her palm. She looked around, trying to calm herself down, remembering just where she was.

Her bedmate groaned and rolled over onto his back, shielding his closed eyes from the sunrays peeking through his window. "It's too early to be awake during a holiday, Dyre." He lifted his arm and immediately sat up with her, seeing her distressed features. "Dyre?"

She took a steadying breath, rubbing at her arms to ease away some of the panic she felt edging into her muscles. "Just a nightmare. I'm fine." As she tried to lay down again, she noticed how sore she felt.

"You say that a lot when you obviously are not fine. You know you can talk to me."

She nodded. "I usually don't look into dreams much. This one was different. Terrifying. I can't remember anything physical, only a raw sensation of fear." She forced herself to lie back, looking to him to see if he understood anything she said. If he had, he didn't show it. "I can't say anything more about it. I don't know what it would even mean."

He sighed and laid back again. "Your mind sounds like a typical woman's. Full of organized chaos."

"Oh, you're no help."

Loki chuckled and rolled over to lie on top of her. "On the contrary, I love chaos. I can think of something to clear your mind."

"Of course you would." She didn't stop him as he leaned down to kiss her, wrapping her legs around his waist.

His bedroom door slammed open, startling them both into motionless statues. Thor hadn't seemed to notice anything until he opened his mouth. "Have you seen Dy— Oh, no!" The god of thunder shielded his eyes with his hand as he groaned. "Damn it all, Loki! This isn't the time for that!"

Despite the situation, Loki merely cocked a brow to his brother. "You are the one who barged in here unannounced. I had thought some morning fun was in order."

Dyre flushed a furious crimson, embarrassed beyond belief, but she found herself laughing at the situation rather than wanting to cry. Thor's reaction had been too priceless for her to do anything but laugh.

Thor slammed the door closed behind him, still shielding his eyes. "I am not jesting about this. It really isn't the time. Eir came here only ten minutes ago in a full panic. Andren is dead."

Her laughing stopped and she pushed at Loki's chest to allow her to sit up, clutching the thin jade sheet to her bare chest. "W-what?"

Thor handed her a note he had tucked away. "This was found near his body. I'm so sorry, Dyre."

She read it, and her fingers began to shake with fear. _"A debt is to be paid. I will have the girl if it is the last thing I do. This is my last warning."_ She looked to Thor, still shaken with shock. "I don't understand. What is going on? Who has done this?"

Thor could only shake his head. "We still do not know. But we are taking full precautions. My father has requested that you be taken to one of our safe havens in Midgard for now so you can lay low until this clears up."

"Midgard? But I know nothing of the human realm. You cannot send me there alone."

"You won't be." He looked at his brother. "You will have protection, one way or another."

Loki curled his lip at the thought of spending any amount of time on Midgard that he didn't have to. He made his appearances every so often to keep their names known, just as Thor and the others did, but never any longer. To him, humans were a vile race, each one a tiny ant just ready to be smashed beneath a boot. However, his brother had caught him in a very compromising situation. He sighed. "Yes, you will. I'll personally make sure of it."

She only nodded, staring blankly at the paper. The shock had fully set in.

Thor cleared his throat. "I'll leave you alone to discuss your plan of action." He paused at the door. "Despite what he had done, I truly am sorry."

Dyre still didn't move, even after the door closed behind him. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. The petty fights, the raised hands, even her father's drinking seemed like a far off problem. She felt beyond tears, beyond sadness. Only confusion sat in her mind.

She didn't even notice her bedmate summoning clothes to his body and getting out of bed. "I need to have a word with my brother."

Dyre only continued to stare at the paper, as if scrutinizing it.

"Will you be fine on your own?"

Still she did not answer.

He couldn't tell if he was getting frustrated due to annoyance, or because he did still care about what happened to her. "Dyre?" When she still didn't answer he wordlessly circled the bed and left out the door to find his brother.

* * *

"Thor!"

The thunder god looked to his brother, wondering what he could have wanted. "That was fast. Where is she?"

"Currently locked inside herself, kept in my room for safe keeping for now. Do you mind informing me of what is happening? Why did you basically volunteer me to be her chaperone? I'm sure she can learn quite a bit on her own."

"I never actually said you were to take her. You did that yourself." Thor smirked as he saw his brother's eyes narrow. The thunder god had out-tricked the Master Trickster. The smirk faded. "We're not sure who or what has done this, nor do we know why they want Dyre. Our scout said the damage looked like a fight, but we still don't know who. So far as we know, her family had no grudges against them."

Loki wondered if offering a stone that looked like a severed goat's head counted as holding a grudge.

"I'm sure she could learn a lot about modern Midgard on her own, but she needs to blend in as best as she can while we figure this out."

"And what of Eir?"

Thor shook his head. "Lady Eir doesn't seem to be a target, but we're keeping her here out of harm's way for now."

"Why can't she stay with her mother then?"

"This would be the first place this person would think to check for her." He sighed and ran a tired hand through his hair. "Thank you for volunteering."

"I only said I'd make sure she arrived in Midgard unharmed. I never said I'd actually go."

Thor frowned. "Come now, Brother. You can sleep with her, but you can't protect her life?" When his brother didn't answer, he kept going. "For once, think about someone else rather than just your satisfaction. No doubt it wasn't her idea, but yours to leave and go to your room."

"The feeling was mutual, I assure you," Loki answered calmly, arms folded over his chest. "This… this rescue mission, it is not."

The thunder god stalked up to him and grabbed a fistful of his tunic, anger evident in his voice. "You listen here. If she is good enough to take to bed, she is worthy of your time to save her life. How many times has she healed us in the past?"

"I don't owe her any favors. Let go or you'll wrinkle the fabric." He nodded to the fist clenching his shirt. Only when Thor increased his grasp did Loki speak again. "You know I despise that wretched world. Why can't you take her?"

"I have matters to attend to here. You do not." His glare softened, as did his grip. "Loki, you're the only one I trust with her safety." He suddenly thought of an interesting idea. "I could always have Fandral take her. I'm sure he'd be great company."

Loki bristled slightly to the offer. "Fine. I'll take her there immediately. Only because I don't trust that womanizer in the slightest. To the forest safe haven, I'm assuming."

He nodded. "And you know where the others are?"

"I'm well versed in what to do in the case of an invasion and we need to get out." He nodded to Thor's fist. "Mind letting go?"

He mumbled an apology before unclenching his fist. "Heimdall is expecting you at the Bifrost. He will let you through." He pointed a threatening finger to him. "But understand this, do not take her for granted. She is not one of your loose women."

He slapped his brother's finger away. "Do not lecture me. I know she isn't." He turned his back to leave for his chambers. "I'll get her to the safe haven, be sure of that."

Thor watched his brother's retreating back and sighed, rubbing his temples. "Thunder give me strength…"


	9. Chapter 9

9.

She could hear them talking still, could hear Loki asking her questions, but she couldn't distinguish what was going on. The only thing that mattered was in her hands. She heard Loki leave without trying to console her. She hadn't expected him to. Their arrangement didn't call for it. She felt the sadness close in on her as she sat alone in a room she hadn't been in since she was a child.

_A child…_

" _Daddy, why do Thor and Loki come hurt so often? Are all boys so stupid?"_

_Her father had looked at her in surprise and let out a heartfelt laugh. "Yes, I suppose we all are at some point in our lives." He tapped her on the nose. "I think they're trying to impress you, my dear."_

_Dyre scowled. "Boys are icky though."_

_Andren chuckled. "You won't always think that." He spread his arms out. "I am the same gender. Am I icky?"_

_She giggled then. "No, but only because you're my daddy."_

_He pulled his daughter into a tight embrace. "That's right. And no matter what, I will always be your daddy."_

A drop appeared on her paper, followed by another, smearing the ink. She put a finger to her cheek, feeling a few tears fall. In a sudden flash of anger, she crushed the note in her palm and stood, a fire simmering in her belly. Her pain, sadness, and confusion melded into one, leaving her with a fury she had never felt before.

The person who killed her father would pay, but not before they suffered dearly.

* * *

Loki muttered under his breath in frustration the whole way back to his chambers, mostly of how annoying his brother could really be. He stopped and looked up when he heard the click of a latch, seeing Dyre coming into the hall while adjusting the sleeve of her gown from the night before. From there, he could see her blank expression had taken on another emotion. "Dyre? Are you alright?"

"They still have no word on who did this?"

"None so far."

"I'll need your help once we do. They need to pay for what they have done."

He sighed. "A few simple tricks—"

"Not tricks." Her eyes narrowed. "They must squirm. They must fear. They must die."

In all his life, he had never heard a woman so angry and spiteful. If the situation had been any different, he would have locked the both of them in his chambers and not let her out until he had his fill. Unfortunately, he regretfully reigned in his lust. "I'll see to it that they do, whomever they are. If you are ready, we will be leaving for Midgard now."

"But the killer is here. We must—"

"—leave for Midgard," he said sternly. "By orders of Odin."

She bit her tongue, but was visibly annoyed with the order.

"The orders are for your protection."

"Why protect me, though? I am not a royal, nor anyone of real importance. Why bother?"

He bit his cheek to check his rising temper. "I don't think I've ever heard someone complain about being cared for. My father cares for your family through all the times you've helped his. Without your family, many others would die from various ailments. You are more important than you realize."

Her eyes finally began to soften again, a sign her anger was receding. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What role do you play in this?" She crossed her arms. "You don't normally go out of your way to help those in need. Why start now?"

He curled his lip at her. "Do I need a reason to help the only one who bothered to take me seriously most of my life? The only one who saw me as more than a trickster?" He watched her cast her gaze away and he let out an irritated sigh. "Understand me when I say I care deeply for your safety."

"And I care for yours. I don't want to see you hurt because of me. Take me to Midgard and come back here. I'll figure out a way to deal with this problem."

Instead of feeling more irritation, he gave her a mocking smile. "Oh? And just how will you do that? Tell me, my dear, do you know what a computer is? A car? Television? Electricity?" At her confused stare, he continued. "These are large parts of the Midgardian life. If you don't understand it all, you will not be accepted warmly there. I can help."

She shook her head. "I don't want you risking your neck for me out there."

He quickly grew tired of her arguing. He grabbed hold of her arm and teleported them out of the palace to the Bifrost, almost directly in front of Heimdall. "I will hear no more arguing on the matter." He tugged her forward, lowering his voice to a low rumble. "If you let me come with you, I can make sure to have last night repeat itself. Again and again until you beg me to stop."

She flushed and looked away, making him grin at her embarrassment. She also had not said no.

He looked to Heimdall, who had put his sword to his shoulder. "Is the path ready?"

"It is, Prince Loki," the gatekeeper responded. He had the two follow him to the platform in the center. Without another word he placed his sword in the slot, activating the portal.

Loki almost grinned when he saw Dyre's look of pure panic. "Don't flail, and you'll be fine." His eyes widened slightly when he felt her grab his hand, as if out of support. He didn't have a chance to protest the action before the portal sucked them forward. He hated this part the most, and it always left him slightly lightheaded afterward. Once he felt solid ground again, he stood, still feeling her gripping his hand tightly. "Welcome to your new home."

Instead of looking to the large cabin in front of her, she dropped to her hands and knees, breathing heavily. "How on Asgard do you manage to travel like that? That's a horrible way to travel!"

He chuckled, watching her stand with the support of a nearby tree. "You get used to it the more you do it." His eyes glinted with mischief. "As do other things."

She laughed too, finally catching her breath. "Do all men have such a one track mind when a woman feeds them sex?"

"You'll come to find I'm not like most men." He helped transfer her weight from the tree onto him. "Come, I'll take you to where we'll be residing for the next… who knows when?"

She pushed away. "I think I'm alright now." She made it a few steps on her own before she stumbled, making him catch her out of reflex. "Or not."

"Or not is correct. Just hope you didn't break anything."

"I am a little dizzy yet." She looked to the cabin in front of them, sucking in a short breath. "Your father does not hold back, does he?" She stared at the wooden framework that made up the home, seeing it tower over her with two stories to it.

"Even though we'd be in hiding, it was still intended for royals." He motioned around them, letting her see only trees. "Besides, I don't think anyone has come across this place in ages. It was placed in a remote area in the state of North Carolina, far away from busy cities so we couldn't be found." He pulled a key out of thin air and unlocked the front door. "When we check in every so often, we make small observations to how Midgardians are living so we can make adjustments. Lucky for us, we had an adjustment not long ago in their time."

"Though why on Midgard? Out of all the realms, why have safe havens here?"

He pocketed the key to keep it in range. "Why not? Not many creatures can make it here from the other realms. Either that or they wouldn't think to look here. I don't blame them."

"What is so wrong with the Midgardian race? You scorn them, yet they are supposed to be the chosen race."

He scoffed and led her inside the sunlit home. "Clearly there was a mistake in that choice. You'll learn how moronic they all are."

"If they're as idiotic as you claim, why do the gods still bother with trying to keep your names known?" she countered, taking in the elaborately designed house, furnished with things she had both seen and had not seen in her whole life.

"I suppose it gives us a sense of satisfaction, that we can still hold power over some of them. Those who still believe are in small numbers, what with the introduction of that ridiculous Christianity movement, but they still exist. And there can't be a king without a kingdom." He paused, seeing how she was taking to being in a vastly different environment. "Enough of that for now. I suppose I should show you just how much things differ here." He proceeded to take her around the home, teaching her how things worked if she asked about them. In doing so, he took note of things they lacked.

After a half hour, they returned to the main room. "I believe I have the basics for everything. However it is a bit much to take in at once." She sat on the couch, putting her head in her hands. "Still hard to believe this is happening."

"Most cases with death are." He inspected the island bar behind her, glad to see it fully stocked. It was one of those times where a glass of anything strong would be helpful.

"Who would want my father dead? That's the only thing I can't understand. He was becoming an ass, yes, but not one that would deserve to be killed."

"You aren't concerned with the other portion of this? The person who wants you for some reason?"

"I'll defend myself if I have to."

Loki paused in pouring a glass of brandy and laughed. He couldn't help it, and he continued even through the angry glare she threw at him.

"Why in the nine realms is that so damned funny?"

"I'm sorry, really," he tried to compose himself, but a few chuckles escaped him as he finished pouring his glass to match the one already made.

"No you're not. Why is it amusing? You know I can hold my own in a fight."

"You could when we were children. I highly doubt you still can." When she tried to argue, he cut her off, holding up his glass. "Dyre, if this person killed your father, a _hunter_ , how can you, a mere woman, even dream of fighting them off?"

"Just because I'm a woman does not make me weak, you arrogant jackass!" She stalked over to him and jabbed at his chest. "I don't know how, but I will kill whoever did this to my mother, and to me. And— Stop laughing at me!"

"Dyre, this is why I'm stuck here with you. You can't possibly fight back."

She stopped fighting back then and only watched him sip from his glass, seeming to approve of the liquor. "I knew you had no desire to be here."

"Of course I don't. You know how much I despise these creatures running amok as if they're the most powerful beings in existence."

"It's not just that, is it? You said it yourself, you're stuck here. With me."

He attempted to take another sip when what he had said hit him. "No, Dyre, that's not what I meant."

"You've lied to me before. What would make this any different?" She walked away towards the stairs leading to a bedroom he had said would be hers. "Just go home, Loki. I'll be fine on my own. Somehow."

Before he could even retort the door slammed behind her, making him flinch and set the glass of amber liquid down on the bar top. He looked around, curling his lip at the human domicile. It wasn't as atrocious as he first thought it would be, but it was still Midgardian. That alone made it not worth his time. However, the woman he was to protect, she was. Even though he owed her no favors, he didn't trust anyone else with her life.

He brushed it off as sentimentality and looked for the set of keys he knew hung near the front door that would go towards some sort of vehicle. He just hoped it would be a useful one. To give her a chance to cool down and absorb everything that had happened, he'd leave her alone for a few hours to gather things he knew they would need sooner or later.

* * *

Dyre heard the front door close, making her sit up in confusion. She didn't think he'd actually listen and leave. Her heart sank and she stared at the blank pillowcase next to her. "So I really am on my own…" She shook her head, clearing her mind. "Well, if that is the case, I suppose I should learn about where I am exactly and what the Midgardians do for entertainment."

She crept downstairs, making sure Loki really had left her alone. Besides the still full brandy glasses, there was no indication he had been there at all. She frowned, seeing the second glass finally. She picked it up and sniffed it, pulling it away from her nose immediately as the smell permeated her senses. It was nothing like Asgaridan liquors. Despite the smell, she tasted it and almost wheezed on its potency. "How in the realms did he drink this so calmly?" She pounded on her chest a few times to loosen the fumes. She found the aftertaste to not be so bad.

She tried the drink again, this time sipping it correctly, finding that it went down smoother. It still had a bite, but not as bad now that she knew what to expect. She took the glass and wandered over to the living area, where the large couch created a three-sided shape, facing the device he had called a television. She looked for the smaller device that he showed her would turn it on and touched the correct button. She jumped as an image came on screen, one that moved and had voices accompanying it.

Her curiosity won out and she sat on the couch, pulling her legs under her while sipping her drink and staring at the moving images.

" _There has been a groundbreaking discovery at Stark Enterprises today as Tony Stark announces his newest device. More on that at six. Today is a wonderful day at the North Carolina Zoo as we welcome Charlie, a newborn giraffe, into the world. Happy birthday, Charlie."_

She frowned at the long-necked creature nuzzling a smaller version of itself. Never before had she seen such a being, but she found it strangely adorable in its odd way. "Seems I have a lot more to learn than I thought…" She hit the button he had showed her to change what he called "channels" and paused to see if it caught her interest. She looked on in wonder as a crowd of people chanted for a man called "Jerry" as a woman attempted to fight with another woman, apparently over yet another man. "Now I see why Loki despises Midgardians, if they're all wild animals like this…"

She sipped her drink and observed various other channels for hours, absorbing what information she could. She found that their daily lives weren't too much different from the life of an Asgardian. Instead of roaming a marketplace, they visited places that housed all their various needs in one location. They didn't have healers, but they did have doctors. Their guards were policemen, and their king was president. While all the channels were fascinating in their own right, she stopped short when she heard sounds she herself had made almost a full day ago. "What on Asgard…?" Her interest immediately piqued due to the third glass of brandy in her hand, she dropped the remote and stared as she saw just exactly what she had done herself.

In doing so, she didn't hear the front door open again, nor did she hear a trademark chuckle of utter amusement.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

When he initially returned, he expected her to still be shut in the room. He did not expect her to be operating the television on her own, let alone have it set to… that. He let out an amused chuckle as he closed the door behind him as quietly as he could. Just as silent, he snuck up behind her and leaned on the couch, observing the screen with interest. "I leave you alone for a few hours and I come back to see you watching humans fornicating. Dirty girl. I see you haven't had enough."

She had initially jumped in surprise, but calmed instantly when she recognized the voice and looked to his grinning features. "Oh, Loki, you have to, you have to see this. These Midgardians are so inventive in their ways of sex." She giggled on the word and took more than a sip from her glass.

He frowned when he realized where her bravado was coming from. "How many of those have you had?"

Dyre stared at the glass, frowning as she tried to remember. "I want to say three. Hey!" She reached for it as he took it away from her. "That's mine!"

"I'm surprised you're still conscious. You're done for now." He tried to remain firm, but the distraction caused by the screen was making something else firm. "I'll have to ask Father why he has access to this sort of thing…" He shifted his attention to her as she sat up on her knees to face him. "And I'm curious as to why you didn't switch to something else."

"You and I both know anatomy is a very… interesting subject." She wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned. "And, I'm not a little girl anymore. I've got almost a century of hormones to work out of my system. I'm not shy on the matter."

"Obviously not." He shifted out of her arms to move back to the bar so he could hide the remaining brandy. "However, I'm not indulging you while you're too drunk to remember it."

" _That's it baby, fuck me, fuck me good and hard!"_

He cleared his throat. "Do you mind changing that?"

She pouted and sat down, but did as asked. She stretched out as a calm voice narrated an animal special, so calm that her eyes started to shift out of focus in exhaustion. "Hey Loki?"

"Hm?"

"Is drinking so much supposed to make you sleepy?"

"It can."

"Is it also supposed to make things hover?"

"It— what?" He looked over to her and was glad he had set the glass down. "Dyre, what on Asgard are you doing?"

"I don't know!" Her voice was full of fear now as she stared at the remote, now hovering in midair before her. "Make it stop, please!"

He moved swiftly to her and grabbed the device, setting it down a good ways away from her. He could feel a trace of magic still on it, faint, but noticeable. "Dyre, that's magic. You have magic."

She shook her head, but instantly looked like she regretted doing so. "No, no I don't. I've never had magic. I'm just seeing things. That's it, I'm drunk and I'm seeing things. That happens too, right?"

"It does, but I saw it too." He took hold of her wrists to make her look at him. "I know magic when I see it. You have it." He could see pure terror in her eyes, and knew this was not something to discover while intoxicated. She was on the verge of a panic attack, that much was clear. "Breathe, Dyre. It's alright. This is a good thing, really. Now you're not as useless." He expected her to snap back at him, but she was still too scared. He could relate, having been so frightened when he discovered his own abilities at a very young age. "Look at me Dyre. This isn't the end of the world. You're fine." His nerves flashed as she leaned forward and held on to his middle, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. For once, he allowed it without question, attempting to sooth her back to a calm state.

* * *

He didn't know how long they stayed like that, or when he had fallen asleep. When he woke, he found himself still sitting in a corner of the couch with her resting on his legs, her face serene in sleep. Birds chirped outside the windows where the sun began peaking in. At any other time, he would have just shoved her off and went about his business, but this was different in many ways. She had been utterly terrified by just the smallest spell. He narrowed his eyes, wondering just how long the magical properties had been simmering under the surface.

She finally stirred, instantly putting a hand to her head. "Remind me to never drink so much again. I could've sworn I saw the controller device fly."

"It hovered."

"Fine, hovered. I could've sworn—" Her head snapped up and she flinched, but still stared. "I wasn't… I wasn't dreaming?" She tried to sit up, but her head had other ideas, making her lay on her back as it righted itself. "How? I don't have magic. Only you and a handful of others do."

"Stress may have triggered it, among other things." Finally free of her body, he got up, regaining feeling in his legs. He fetched her water from the adjoining kitchen, giving her time to absorb the information. He himself attempted to piece the possibilities together. Magic was like a recessive gene to the people who did have it, one that didn't show itself often even if the carrier had it. Most Asgardians relied on physical strength to win fights. A few gods were able to tap into elements, like his brother and father. Only a select few knew they had it, and were able to use it. He took the glass to her. "I can help you with it, if you want."

She shook her head. "I don't want it. At least, I don't think I do." She frowned. "It would help, yes, but… it's so new to me." She opened her eyes to look at him. "How do you do it?"

"You have to remember I've been able to use magic since we were children. I'm more used to it than you." He grinned and handed her the glass. "If you want to think of it positively, you can help me now when we want someone embarrassed."

She giggled and accepted the water. "I suppose that's true. And I could better defend myself now." She shrugged. "I could even try to out-prank the master."

"I wouldn't go that far, but you're looking at it the right way." Curiosity struck, he flashed a grin her way. "So why were you watching what I caught you watching last night?"

"I…I was drunk, I thought it was interesting seeing it from another angle, I don't know." She flushed, knowing she couldn't lie to him as effectively as he could lie to everyone else. "I do not have to explain myself."

"Spoken like a true woman." He waved a hand in dismissal and moved away from the couch.

She frowned into her glass. "Why did you come back?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You left yesterday when I told you to return home. Why did you come back?"

"I never left Midgard. I was just acquiring things we didn't have here. Even if I had left to Asgard, it would have been a good thing I came back. Who knows what you would've started doing by yourself if I hadn't barged in when I did." He laughed as she groaned. "There are clothes for you in your room, as well as anything else you may need in the bathroom. Nothing's been used yet."

She immediately got up at the prospect of being able to change out of her dress. "If that is the case, you won't see me for awhile."

He watched her go up the stairs before a smirk worked its way on his face. "I wouldn't count on it."

* * *

Dyre closed the bedroom door behind her and saw a pile of clothes on the bed that hadn't been there before. She looked at the garments, not finding a single dress in the mix. She smiled in relief at the idea of not having to wear one for awhile. As an active child, she would wear boys' clothing, finding it better for her adventures, and more comfortable. As she sifted through the pile, she came across garments that were for sure not fine for public eye. She rolled her eyes and grabbed what she knew would work for her purposes.

She wandered into the adjoining bathroom, fully examining what he had only briefly showed her yesterday. She did what she had to, finishing up with ridding herself of the aftertaste of alcohol. As a last thought, she turned the shower on and jumped in surprise as it squealed, and a waterfall effect fell from the ceiling. "Think I can figure the rest of this out… hopefully."

She took the dress off and tossed it to the side, studying it sadly when she saw how dirty it had gotten. She stepped in under the water, finding it at an excellent temperature, and she instantly melted at the feel of the falling stream. She tilted her head back and let it soak through her blonde locks, laughing at how good it felt. She seized up as she felt hands on her hips, but relaxed when she heard a familiar laugh. "I can't have five minutes alone, lech?"

"Not when I know you're in here, naked, with water dripping down your body. How was I supposed to react?"

She closed her eyes, excitement rushing through her veins as she felt his hands glide up her body, grasping on to her breasts. "The plan was to have time to myself to do what I needed." She felt him press against her back, feeling something else between her legs. "I suppose that plan could use some alterations." She reached down and trailed a finger around him, feeling him shiver slightly.

"Mm, my naughty girl. You really haven't had enough." He shifted the way she was standing, forcing her to lean forward against the cool tile. He attempted to slip inside her, but found he couldn't. Not very far, anyway. He pulled out and tried again, finding her body gave way a bit more this time. At her gasps, he leaned over her body and shoved himself in one last time, chuckling into her shoulder as she sighed. "Beg me for it. Let me hear how much you want my cock."

She grinned, knowing a line that would throw him off completely. Or so she hoped it would. "That's it baby, fuck me. Fuck me good and hard."

He stood shell-shocked for only a moment before he laughed into her skin. "Don't use foul language that you have no idea what they mean. You don't know what will happen."

"Then why don't you teach me firsthand what they mean? The way I see it, at this point in time, I'm yours to mould." She grinned at him over her shoulder. "Teach me just what it means to fuck me good and hard."

"Mischievous as always. I like it." He captured her lips with his, while he pulled out and shoved back in, absorbing her moan of pleasure. By now the water was growing cold, but they didn't care. He leaned against the wall for support, holding on to her hip with the other to keep her in place as he taught her a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.

Her mind went blank as she was continuously pushed into the tile wall. This way felt a lot different than before, more animalistic. She found herself missing the intimacy of before, but still could not complain as she learned just what those words meant. She approached her limit easier than before, but had nothing to grab on to as her world turned upside-down. Her eyes widened as the hand on her hip moved in front of her and began touching her bundle of nerves in time to his strokes. "Loki!"

He chuckled as he felt her come, feeling his own release sneaking up on him due to how tight she was still. Her moans were becoming screams of pleasure as she came around him, forcing his release to the surface with a growl. He pulled out and came between her pressed thighs, breathing heavily, welcoming the cold water from the showerhead. He almost slipped as they heard a pounding on the bathroom door.

"Loki? Are you in there? I cannot find Dyre."

He relaxed as he heard his brother's voice. "Always with the worst timing," he muttered in her ear, making her giggle. He raised his voice. "I'm in here. I think Dyre went for a walk in the woods to see the wildlife."

"Don't do that, he worries," she whispered. She felt him reach over to turn the water off.

"And you let her go alone? What is wrong with you?"

Dyre giggled as Loki rolled his eyes. "I'm in here, Thor, don't worry," she answered. "I haven't wandered past the front door."

They heard his heavy sigh of relief. "Good. I will wait in the main room to inform you of the new details."

Loki listened for his brother's footsteps to fade away before looking to Dyre. "Do not tell Thor you may have magic."

His statement caught her off guard. "Why not?"

"The less people who know right now is the better option. If I can help you learn to use it correctly, it can be your most powerful asset."

She nodded, her understanding sinking in. "I understand." She looked at her reflection, seeing him summon clothes to his body behind her. "What if I don't have access to magic? What if it was just a stroke of luck?"

"You worry too much." He nodded to the fresh clothes she had brought in with her. "Dress yourself and come downstairs. Let's see what my brother has in store for us."


	11. Chapter 11

11.

Dyre set the brush down on the counter, looking at her reflection. With a sigh, she carefully left the bathroom and opened the bedroom door, hearing the brothers talking.

"And you're sure of this?"

"Aye," she heard Thor answer. "I will not go further until she joins us, however."

"This is… troubling, if that is the case. She will need more than a hiding place."

"Which is why you are here to watch over her. Though I see you are doing a fine job of that, in your own way."

"Men have needs, you know this, Brother."

Dyre leaned against the wall that blocked the hallway from the staircase, hiding from view.

"I am aware, trust me on that," Thor said. "Though, why her? Out of all the women on Asgard, out of all the women you have taken to bed before, I would not have expected you to take someone like her."

She looked down the hall sadly, though remained curious to the conversation at hand.

"You said it yourself, she is not like the loose women I would cast aside without a second glance. There is a history there that not even I am callous enough to throw away."

His brother chuckled. "I see. So you do care for her."

"That doesn't need to be present to perform. We had an arrangement at the festival and I fulfilled my end. The only reason it is still in play is the fact I will probably have no other outlet for some time. Nothing has changed."

Dyre couldn't hear what Thor said next. She withdrew into herself, holding on to the simmering anger that was ever present in her body now. She snapped out of it when the sound of a breaking glass caught her attention.

"Must have been an old glass," she heard Loki try to explain. "I'll see to it when you leave."

"You'll see to more than that," Dyre muttered, but retreated from her hiding place to amble down the stairs. "Sorry about that. Human clothing seems to differ from ours in ways I couldn't really imagine." She tugged at the denim shorts she had found as emphasis. "So what news do you have for us, Thor?" She chose to ignore his brother for the moment.

"You may not want to stand for this."

"Please, just tell me."

He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "You are aware of the destruction of the Svartalfheim race, I am sure."

"Of course. The Jotuns destroyed their home ages ago. All the dark elves perished. It was tragic."

"It would seem not all were slaughtered."

She narrowed her eyes, her heart hammering against her chest. "I-I see." She crossed her bare arms over her chest more to steady her nerves than anything. "What do the Svartalfheim natives have to do with me?"

"So says Tabatha in the tavern, your father made…" He growled low, seeming disgusted with his next words. "He made a drunken bet with that survivor. Winner of a round of cards took home a virgin woman or, in your father's case, another free round."

Her grip on her arms tightened and the anger began to boil.

"Tabatha said that the night you were with us in the palace, Andren was in her pub, and he was met with the elf. The elf said he would be at his home in the morning to collect his winnings. She said Andren looked fearful."

"And the elf?"

"Besides the name Malak, we don't know anything. She said he always wore a heavy hood." He gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Dyre."

"I knew common women could be sold for a debt but…" She shook her head and put her hands up, as if surrendering. "I can't… I don't want to hear any more. Not now." She paused, dwelling on one detail. "He said a virgin female?"

"Aye."

"Well the deal is broken. Don't the Svartalfs take their bets and bargains serious?"

"More serious than death itself. He was promised you in prime condition. Since your father could not deliver, he was killed to compensate. However, it seems this Malak still wants what he thinks is his."

"But I am not a bargaining chip anymore. Why would he continue his pursuit?"

Thor grimaced. "Technically, according to the bet, you are still to be his property."

She started pacing, an incredulous look on her face. "I belong to no one." Her pacing became her only restraint on the anger. She threw a minute glance to his brother. "No one." She looked back to Thor. "There has to be some way to undo this."

"With what I know of Svartalf bargains, he will have to be killed for his pursuit to stop. But, as we know, the Svartalfs were very good at hiding amongst the shadows. It could be some time before we have any leads on his whereabouts. You'll need to stay well hidden until we can find him."

She was beyond arguing then. She knew in her logical brain she wouldn't stand a chance against a well-trained dark elf. Not many could, besides the Jotuns. She was more focused on her anger at her father, finding all guilt removed from her body.

"The question we're focusing on right now is how Malak got into Asgard in the first place. Heimdall swears it was not on his watch, and I believe him."

"There are other paths not even Heimdall knows about," Loki said quietly. "This Malak would have easily slipped through without alerting anyone, if he knew of the paths."

Thor's eyes widened slightly, but he mainly continued looking grim. "If that is the case, it will be hard to find him." He cast his gaze to Dyre. "I must return to Asgard to continue the hunt. You must remain hidden in any way you can. If this Malak makes it to Midgard without our knowledge, you will be in great danger, even with Loki's protection."

She nodded. "I understand. Thank you for everything Thor. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The god of thunder gave a warm smile. "What sort of friend would I be to leave you on your own in your time of need?" He excused himself and said his goodbyes. Once outside he called for Heimdall to open the gate to take him home.

Dyre stood still, biting at the inside of her cheek in thought, trying to reign in her anger.

"That isn't what I expected," Loki said to break the silence, now moving to remove the shards of broken glass from the long forgotten cup. "Will you be alright?"

"What do you care?" she snapped. "Last I checked, I was only an arrangement with you."

He paused in gathering the glass, throwing her a glance. "I see. So you heard my little lie."

"Yes, I heard." She glared at him. "The only thing I am having trouble understanding is who are you lying to? Thor, me, or yourself?" She didn't give him a chance to answer before she stalked back upstairs, slamming her door behind her. She couldn't stay there long, she knew that by the growing pains in her stomach, but she'd stay as long as it took to calm down and to not have to see the face of a liar. Too many things were testing her patience already.

As she paced, trying to find inner peace, she tried remembering when she was this spiteful. She found she couldn't remember any time, and the brothers had both made her severely angry on multiple occasions. Even when she yelled back at her father for being overbearing she had never had an anger such as this. What she had now wasn't a simple emotion. Betrayal laced in with unsettling fear, and she had never felt as alone as she did that moment.

Finally broken, she leaned against her door and let everything come to the surface.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

Three days of terse silence passed. Dyre continued learning what she could, keeping to herself as long as possible. She would wait until she knew he was out of the house, looking for more information, to leave the safety of her room to gather food. Over the days, her anger towards his words slowly dissipated the more she thought about them. What other explanation had she expected Loki to give his brother? A flat out confession of adoration? No, she decided as she flipped to a channel she knew played cooking shows, what he had said was exactly what his nature would allow him to say. If asked, she herself would deny any infatuation with the god. Whatever they had had was something to be kept between themselves, not anyone else.

She also knew he was a master at deceit, and though he had promised to stop lying to only her, she couldn't be sure if the promise itself was a lie, or truth. She had seen a fascinating movie only a day prior that surmised his personality perfectly. "You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for, 'cause you can never predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid."

As if on clockwork, she heard the front door close, allowing her a chance to slip downstairs. This time though, she began to look around the kitchen for various ingredients, seeing what she could find. She did not end up with much, but just enough to make a dish she cooked with her mother when ingredients were low. She pulled a sharp knife from the chopping block and began dicing an onion she had discovered in the pantry, one of the few fresh things she came up with.

"I had almost forgotten what you looked like."

She jumped and hissed as the knife sliced deep into her finger. Midgardian curses slipped past her tongue as she dropped the weapon. Her head grew woozy as she looked at the deep scarlet. As she looked, another pale set of hands grabbed hers, holding her steady.

"Easy, or you'll bleed all over the counter."

She watched as he used his magic to seal her cut, feeling the skin reconnect with a slight pinch. "Thank you."

"Wash it off and allow me to inspect the wound."

She looked away at the sharp dismissal and did as asked, her meager dinner long forgotten.

"What were you even doing?"

She took a deep breath before turning the water off and facing him, still not used to seeing him in Midgardian clothes, even though he chose to keep them as fine as possible. "A sort of apology. We don't have much to work with, so I had to improvise. A lot."

He gave a short laugh, but smiled all the same. "I see. Though I don't see much that you need to apologize for."

"Surely you jest. I left you alone for three days after snapping at you. You did not deserve it. You are here to look after me, despite how much you hate it here."

"As true as that is, I shouldn't have referred to you as less than what you are." His smile had long faded. "I have had plenty of time to think while you stayed in your room. Due to what I said, I believe I owe you an apology, which I will do by taking you into town. We don't really have enough to make anything appropriate here. Not that I would trust to ingest." At her narrowed eyes, he added, "I don't trust the ingredients, I never said I didn't trust your preparations."

She arched a brow. "Loki, I'm supposed to be in hiding. I can't go into town. If Malak is here, he'll recognize me instantly. I don't doubt he followed my father to make sure I existed."

"Which we will remedy easily. You have magic. I will teach you your first lesson."

"Which is?"

"Disguise." He lightly held one of her blonde locks. "It is easy enough. Focus on your source of power, whatever drives your abilities. Then, focus on whatever you want to change. For now, start with your hair. Whatever color you would like to change it to."

Dyre gave him a skeptical look, but attempted what he said. She focused on the ever-present anger, feeling the energy course through her veins. She tried shifting the energy to her scalp, a color set in her mind. She closed her eyes, intensifying her focus. At his chuckle, she opened her eyes, seeing him holding, not blonde locks, but black. She felt a rush of excitement. "I don't believe this."

"One simple spell learned. Hundreds more to go." He inspected the hair in his hand. "Tell me, what inspired you to pick black?"

"I was never happy with blonde, honestly. I thought I would try the opposite shade." She met his challenging grin. "I may have had a bit of inspiration." The smile faded. "How did you learn all your tricks? If I remember correctly, it was from the woman Amora."

The mirth in his gaze faded and he dropped the locks, moving away from her. "Get dressed. Something nice."

She watched him leave the kitchen, wondering where he was disappearing too. She also wondered what had happened with his past interactions with the witch that had left a bad taste in his life. Her intentions long forgotten, she returned to her room to sift through the pile of clothes she had put away in the closet, attempting to find the nicest thing she could.

* * *

The two wandered the dark paths of a nearby park, working off the dinner they had had. The tension that had been building over the past three days finally subsided, leaving them laughing at the other's jokes, feeling their status of just friends return. Loki taught her mild tricks and let her loose on the couples trying to be romantic in the park, grinning when she was able to set a flock of ducks on a pair kissing by the pond. He watched as the two ran past with ducks at their heels, seeing Dyre holding her sides in laughter. The look suited her, he thought. She had found a dark green dress that ended right above her knees for the night, which made her newly dyed locks look even more enticing.

"Now I see why you do this. This is much more fun than anything I've ever done, including providing you with ideas for mischief." She leaned against a nearby tree, looking for any other potential targets for practice. "What else do you have to teach me, Master?"

A strong rush of desire washed over him just at the title, though the hooded smirk she was giving wasn't helping either. "Be careful with what you say."

"Oh? I wasn't aware I said anything out of the ordinary." Her smile said otherwise.

He pressed her against the tree, a soft growl leaving his throat. "You know exactly what you said. Don't play coy with me."

"Mm, and why can't I, Master?"

A thread of control snapped and he pressed her back harder, not caring that she gasped due to the bark biting into her skin. "You're being exceedingly disobedient. Disobedience needs to be punished." He claimed her lips possessively, loving the moan of desire that left her. He knew any passing human could see them, and if they did, he'd see them burned alive.

He could feel her fingers snaking through his short locks, tugging just the way they both were learning he liked. He let out a hissing growl and moved just enough to bite her lower lip gently, eliciting a gasp from her. As he did so, he narrowed his eyes and stopped everything, taking in their surroundings.

She pouted and tried to start it back up, but he held her firm. It was then she noticed something was wrong. "Loki?"

"It wasn't this dark when we got here."

Dyre looked around, seeing the lamplights were dimmed a lot more than they were a few minutes ago. "It wasn't me…"

"Nor I." He gently removed her from the tree, his gaze darting around them. "We need to leave."

"Where is the fun in that?"

They both turned to the voice, seeing a tall figure with a heavy hood over his eyes.

"I've come to collect my winnings."

Dyre moved to stand behind Loki a bit, who summoned a staff to his side. "Malak…"

The figure chuckled and removed his hood, revealing the dark elf. Just as most of his people before him, he had pale white hair, though he had brilliant turquoise eyes. "I want no trouble. I'm only here to collect what is rightfully mine. I did win her fair and square."

"You were supposed to win a virgin woman," Loki said with a sneer. "She is not anymore."

"Yes, tainted by you, given the scent. However, since the terms were not met on Andren's end, I can do as I like to make the debt fulfilled." He motioned to Dyre. "Come along, Pet. We have business to attend to."

Loki felt her hand grip the back of his shirt. "Run to the car, return to the safehaven. Call for Heimdall."

"I'm not leaving you—"

"Do as I say," he hissed before launching at Malak, catching the elf off guard, slamming the staff into his stomach.

Dyre didn't argue again as Malak began a retaliation. She slipped on a wet patch of grass but righted herself, ducking into the brush to keep out of sight. It didn't dawn on her until she reached the entrance of the park that she had no idea how to operate the car. Frantically, she paced on the spot, looking up to the sky. "Heimdall! We need help! I know you can see us!" She didn't care that the few passing people stared at her. Her fear was mounting in her stomach, consuming all the anger she had used in her magic. Thunder sounded overhead, startling her. She looked up, seeing the electrical storm grow brighter, more violent.

Thor was coming, but he probably wouldn't make it in time.

She tried to grasp on to the anger she felt before, finding it difficult. She concentrated, fusing together every horrible thing that had happened so far, soon finding herself in a heated rage. She held on to the emotion and manifested it into a physical ball of energy. She was satisfied, but immediately felt the effects on her body. Not caring, she ran back to where she had left Loki, finding him holding his own against the elf. However, he wasn't doing so with ease. She summoned balls of energy to her palms and threw them at Malak, both missing him by inches.

The elf looked up from their fighting, a smirk emerging on his face. "She is a feisty one, isn't she?"

"I belong to no one, you arrogant man!" She tried making another energy ball, but couldn't completely. It was too taxing. She forced herself to as Loki took Malak's attention once again. She threw it, hearing the elf cry out in agony. Her vision grew hazy as a loud crash of thunder sounded very close by. She could hear Thor give out a battle cry, as well as the voices of the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, despite how faint they sounded.

The last thing she could remember was a pair of strong arms hefting her up, and an order to get her to safety.


	13. Chapter 13

13.

Dyre began regaining consciousness, but found she couldn't open her eyes just yet. A warm temperature surrounded her, making her also feel she had been changed into different clothes, and as her hearing adjusted, she could hear things she hadn't heard before. Confused, she forced her eyes open, shielding them from a bright light from outside. She sat up with a jolt. "Loki!"

"Easy Dyre," someone said beside her, catching her attention.

She saw Thor, and her eyes narrowed further in confusion. "What happened?"

"My brother is fine. We all are. He isn't here at the moment. Our father summoned him back to Asgard for disobeying a direct order."

"But… Malak—"

"Was hit with your magic, which I see you've hidden from us."

She flinched in guilt. "Thor, I'm so sorry. It wasn't my idea to—"

Thor held up a hand to silence her and handed her a glass of water. "Drink this and I will tell you what's happened. You've been asleep for two days now." He paused to let her absorb the information. "When Heimdall heard your call, he sent us to Midgard immediately. When we arrived to help, Malak received a heavy blow to the face from your magic. He was wounded, caught off guard. We were able to beat most of the fight out of him, but he escaped before the final blow could be dealt. My father decided that the other safe haven was compromised, and so we brought you to this one. At least it will be warm for the Midgardian winter."

She heard the cry of a bird and followed the noise, seeing a brightly lit curtain blocking her view. "Where am I now?"

"The Midgardians call it 'Maui'. It is an island, part of a chain of them. It is remote, but it still has many inhabitants. And, given the position of the home, there are no places for Malak to hide. Until night falls."

She remembered seeing something on the television in the other home about the island, and she attempted to remember the layout. If she had the right memory, there was no way to get there from the mainland of America without taking a plane or a boat.

Or a direct link from the Bifrost.

She relaxed as she realized the only true way the dark elf could reach her was past Heimdall himself, and Sif's brother was no pushover. "What will happen now?"

"I was sent to offer you protection. The others have seen to filling the home with everything you will need this time so the same mistakes are not repeated here."

She looked down at the sheets. "I see."

Thor waited a moment before he continued. "However, that was before we realized you had magical abilities. In this situation, it would be best to have my brother continue staying here to teach you how to use the magic appropriately. I never knew you could be one of the few with magic."

She hid her emotions well enough, and kept a neutral mask. "I didn't either. With all that has happened, it must have woken something within me. It isn't something I want, but if I have it, there's nothing I can do but learn to use it."

Thor nodded grimly, but accepted the answer. He waited for her to finish her water before he tentatively proceeded to the next question he wanted to ask. "He hasn't been horrible to you, has he?"

She frowned. "Loki? No, he hasn't. Should he have been?"

"He isn't one to offer his assistance unless he is compensated." He mulled over his statement. "However, given your… intimate relationship, I suppose he is being compensated."

Dyre felt a flush reach her cheeks. "That's only happened twice. It isn't asked of me. I offer it." She looked away, wondering why she felt embarrassed when talking about the subject with Thor, but when it came to doing the actual thing with his brother it felt natural. "We've been friends forever, Thor, and I'm sorry if what I'm doing upsets you. I was just tired of being pure. I was ready to give it up, and I'm glad it wasn't with someone I had just met. In all honesty, I always wanted it to be one of you to do it."

A small smirk rested on Thor's face. "I understand, and I am not scolding you for doing so. I only want to know if he is forcing you or not."

"Force me? Why would you ever think such a thing of your own brother?"

The smile faded quickly. "He is— That is just his nature. Remember who he is."

"I know who he is. The God of Lies, the God of Trickery, Deceit, and Mischief. That is who he is to you, to everyone who never gave him a chance to be anything else." She glared at the man in front of her she always looked up to. "I remember the tricks you used to play on him, getting his hopes up of joining you and your friends, only to be pushed away and mocked. Why do you think I began spending more time with him than with you? I was sick of your arrogance of being the eldest brother."

"I have changed since we were children. I love my brother." His gaze softened. "Dyre, why are you protecting him so?" Something lit up in his face. "You love him, don't you?"

"No, I don't," she said, her voice short. "I—We've been friends for so long, this just seems right is all. Even if it ended up being with you it wouldn't have changed anything."

Thor's smile returned. "You did always get along with him better though."

"He makes me laugh. Your jokes could never match." She stared at the glass as silence took over, broken only by the birds and whatever else the sound was outside.

"You should probably eat," Thor said after a few minutes and rose from his seat. "I'll see if I can find something already made for you."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll put something together. Really." She glanced at his hip and almost lost her grip on her glass. "Thor, is that Mjolnir?"

He followed her gaze and smiled. "Yes. Due to my actions, I have been entrusted with the hammer. I have a proper coronation in a year."

"That's great news," answered, completely sincere. "If that's the case, allow me to prepare food for the future king of Asgard."

* * *

After they ate, Thor allowed her a view of the exterior of the home, and she was able to finally see the source of the noise up close. The home was on the edge of a beach, where the strong waves were constantly slapping against the shore. "I have to admit, this is must better than the mountains," she said, taking in the sight. "The temperature is a vast improvement as well."

"We have various hideaways in this realm, but I believe this one was my father's favorite. You still have access to everything you had in the mountains, but now you are not restricted to the home. The elf cannot possibly find you in the heat of the day. Dark elves need shadows to hide themselves, and they cannot survive in high temperatures. The only time he could have a chance to find you is when it grows dark, so when the sun sets beyond the horizon, you need to be inside."

"That I can do." She sat and drew circles in the sand, staring out at the ocean. "I still thank you for going through the trouble of keeping me safe. Really. I'd probably be dead without you all. Or…" She trailed off, anxiety mounting in her nerves.

He sat beside her, not caring if the sand got into his Midgardian clothes. "Do not think about it. It is not something you need to dwell on. Only fear will come from it."

She nodded, allowing silence to take over again. She was glad Thor was giving her peace to think, to enjoy her surroundings. However, she only felt an empty feeling in her heart, as if something were missing.

"I believe this is a much better location than those dreadfully cold mountains, Brother. Why couldn't we have come here first?"

Dyre turned around at the new voice and almost tripped getting to her feet. "I thought you'd be reprimanded for centuries," she said, restraining herself from doing any more than standing before the man who helped save her life. "Or did you distract Odin so you could get away?"

Loki merely smiled. "You'll never know." He looked over to Thor. "I can take it from here. You've been… most helpful."

Thor nodded and called to Heimdall to open the Bifrost again.

Once alone, Dyre pulled Loki into a tight embrace. "I was worried."

He scoffed, but allowed the contact for a few minutes. "You were? You summoned magic you were not powerful enough to handle and blacked out for days and you were worried about me?" He shook his head and stepped back to examine her. "Your head is not on right, is it?"

She slapped at his chest. "I'm allowed to worry when your father is Odin." Her face fell slightly. "I'm sorry you were reprimanded for your actions. I know you only had good intentions."

"It was a lapse in my judgment, not anything you need to upset yourself about." He stepped away completely now, looking out over the water. "Though I left my father and brother a gift in their chambers before I left, so I didn't leave empty handed." He frowned at the shoreline. "It seems it was well deserved if this is the place we could have gone to first."

"You're terrible," she said, though laughed anyway. As she thought more on it, she grew quiet again. "Thor has Mjolnir now."

"I'm aware. I was present when he received it yesterday."

"Which means he will have his coronation in a year."

"I know that as well."

"Do you still harbor no ill-will that he will take the throne?" She saw him tense up slightly, but relaxed almost as fast. "Loki?"

"I never wanted the throne. Though, I still believe I could do better than him. His arrogance could be our downfall if he does not wise up." He glanced at her as she stood by him. "I don't want that power. However, if it did come to it, I would take it."

She listened to the waves, content to just stand there for the time being. The empty feeling seemed to have vanished without her realizing when. "He asked about you. If you treated me right while we've been in hiding."

"And?"

"I told him you had. Which you have, in your own way. He asked if you forced me to do what I do. I let him have it then."

He cocked a brow. "How could I force a willing woman?"

"You can't. I told him it felt right, so why should it matter?"

"It doesn't to us, but to others who know me, it does. To most others, I am no better than the one who wants to take you away."

She frowned. "But you're not. Why can't they see that?"

"I haven't exactly helped my cause. Though I prefer it this way." He nodded to the setting sun. "We should return inside. We'll start your lessons immediately."

She stared at his retreating back, wondering just what had happened all the years they had been apart to make him more withdrawn than he had been already. "Loki?"

He stopped to look at her.

"If it means anything, you've never disappointed me. I only want you to know that I'm there for you when you need someone, just as you've been there for me."

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'll keep it in mind. Come. We'll start your first lesson."


	14. Chapter 14

14.

Almost a month passed without incident. No word had risen that would indicate Malak had resurfaced. The confrontation at the park had not reached national news, much to the relief of the hidden souls.

Dyre progressed through her lessons quickly, since they found a rewards system they could both enjoy. While he showed her spells to protect herself, he mainly taught her ways to help with her healing. She found she had an affinity for it, and quickly surpassed what he could teach her. They found a wounded dog on the porch of the beach house one morning, and so for a lesson, he had her diagnose and heal it. Faster than he gave her credit for, she healed the creature and sent it on its way.

Over the month, other emotions began to progress. The intimacy became more than just a reward for doing well. Instead it was almost a necessity. Dyre at least felt the shift, but never said anything about it. She was afraid to ruin what they had, and so accepted it for what it was.

While not learning how to tame her magical abilities, or being left unable to walk for a few minutes after her rewards, she spent time by and in the water. Some humans who also lived in the area would come close, but not close enough to bother her besides her irritating neighbors.

That particular day, however, it seemed her neighbors were hosting a party, interrupting her peaceful lull. She scowled at the noise, barely noticing a presence sit next to her in the sand.

"I know that look," Loki said, glancing where she was. "Let them have their fun. You have yours."

"Oh, I intend to." She nodded towards a busty brunette who was serving a volleyball to her friends. "That's the wife of the owner. Or girlfriend. Or mistress even. I haven't given a damn to figure it out."

"What about her?"

"She irritates me."

He chuckled. "Is that right?"

"Not without reason. She knows when I'm out here, and so attempts to make the most noise she can, and attempts to flaunt her man in front of me, as if I cared. Now I see she does it to everyone she knows. You can see it in how they all look at her."

Indeed, all the guests at the woman's party seemed to look at her with some form of ill-contempt, either mild or extreme. The woman adjusted the strapless top that had slipped down her chest a bit and proceeded with her game.

Watching her do so made Dyre grin. "And I know just how to make her party more fantastic." She pointed towards the woman while reaching for her source of power. Immediately, the hooks for the woman's top broke off, and the material fell to the sand, leaving all the guests stunned. The woman didn't even seem to notice as she spiked the ball, hitting her husband/boyfriend in the head. When she saw what was keeping everyone's attention, she shrieked and attempted to find her missing top.

Dyre looked on in glee as the dog she had saved two weeks ago came trotting up to her, the colorful top held in his bushy jaws. "That was not part of the plan, but I have to admit I like where it went."

Loki laughed as well. "I'm beginning to like this dog now. That woman looks absolutely mortified. Ah, she ran inside."

Dyre rubbed the tangled mess of fur that was her newest partner in crime. "That's a good boy, Markku. Living up to your name."

The dog merely sat in the sand, wiggling against the scratches in doggy glee.

"You made the mistake of naming it. Now we'll never get rid of it."

"Him," she corrected. "We'll never get rid of him. Besides, I like him more than the hunting dogs I was exposed to. At least this one here has a gentle heart. And he likes to cause trouble." They fell into a comfortable silence broken by the ocean and Markku's happy panting. When they were like this, she could almost forget that she was in hiding, that hardship had fallen in her life. She could imagine a quiet life, away from the demanding job of healer.

At times, she caught herself acting like her mother would to her father, scolding and laughing, and she began to understand what her mother had tried to teach her about the opposite sex years ago. _"If you can find a man who makes you laugh more than he makes you angry, stick with him."_ She couldn't help a soft hum of a laugh from escaping her throat.

"And what has you laughing now?"

"Just thinking about something my mother said about men when I was younger."

"That we think with external organs and not our heads?"

"No, no," she giggled. "Not that. I'm just finding humor in how right she was when she said that I should stay with a man who can make me laugh more than make me angry." She nudged his shoulder with her own. "Thank you for everything you've done so far."

"I'd feel guilty if I left you on your own with magic you knew nothing about. And with a newly woken lust you cannot seem to slake."

She slapped his arm softly. "That's entirely besides the point."

"Is it? Why don't I take you inside and tie you up again so you can tell me otherwise?"

Despite the heat, a shiver went down her spine. "Later. I've got a bit on my mind right now that would ruin the mood." She ran her fingers through Markku's fur, combing out tangles in the process. "I hope she is well. My mother."

"If she were not, we would have heard so."

"Yes, I know, but I mean… Her husband was murdered, Loki. That is not something you take lightly, no matter what the circumstances. I know I could not deal with it if…" She felt her face flush and she kept her attention on Markku. "She is a strong woman, but she loved my father despite his recent faults. He treated her like a queen, did everything he could for her. Never forgot their anniversary, or her birthday." She smiled. "The gifts were never much, but they were full of love. From the time I was a little girl and could understand the looks my father gave her, I wanted that. It was like a secret they shared, and I wanted my own secret." She glanced at him then. "Silly whims of a little girl, I know, but I think we all want it for our own."

"It isn't entirely preposterous. From what I understand, even Midgardian women plan their weddings from young ages." He looked over to the party again, seeing a couple entangled in a loving embrace as the young man lifted his woman up, hearing her squeal in delight even from such a far distance away. "You'll find your secret someday, I suspect. Those things cannot be rushed."

A wave of disappointment washed over her. She knew then that she was the only one who had a change in emotion over the month they had been together. Feeling sullied and used, she stood, not bothering to brush the sand off her shorts. "I'll be sure to introduce you to him when I do," she said and motioned for Markku to follow her back into the house. She let the mutt in first and slammed the door behind her, knowing the sound would travel out to where Loki sat. "I am an idiot, Markku."

The dog cocked his head to the side, an ear raised in curiosity.

"I'm feeling exactly what I told Thor I was not feeling four weeks ago." She leaned on the kitchen counter, pulling at her blackened hair. "What a stupid thing to tell him. I should have kept my mouth shut." She looked to the dog. "Am I foolish for wanting more than sex?"

The dog merely whined and tilted his head the other way, though padded up to her and nudged her leg.

She couldn't help the sad smile that slipped. "Yes, I suppose I shouldn't expect anything else from a god whose passion is mischief. At least I can count on you to show me love, can't I Markku?" She left the kitchen to retreat into her room, not noticing she had been standing next to an open window with a god hiding just out of view.

He clenched his jaw and looked out to the sea, trying to forget the disappointment and pain that had laced her words. "Foolish woman…"


	15. Chapter 15

15.

He gave her proper time to herself to collect her thoughts. As the sun disappeared into the ocean, he felt that it was enough time alone. He waited until he heard her stop the shower before getting up and stopping before her door. He rapped on it a few times and heard her curse softly on the other side. "Dyre, I need to talk to you."

She muttered something on the other side, but opened the door despite her mumbles, showing she had changed into sleep shorts and a loose tank top. A small glare graced her features. "What for?"

He glanced down, seeing Markku stand protectively at her side. "Out, mutt."

Markku whined in slight protest, but left, his nails clacking against the tile.

Dyre wasn't amused. "What do you want?"

"Don't work yourself up. I only wanted to make sure you weren't still cross with me."

She studied him for a moment, analyzing his quiet tone. "No, Loki. I'm not. I overreacted. I am angry with myself, not you."

"Then why hide from me? If I am not your source of anger, why would you make it seem so?"

She looked away, fidgeting slightly against the door.

"Dyre?"

"I couldn't look at you," she muttered, keeping her eyes off him. "It doesn't matter why, I just couldn't. I still don't really want to."

Regardless, he made her look at him, gently lifting her chin. "It does matter why." He knew why it was. He needed to hear it from her. "Have I suddenly become repulsive to you?"

"No, never." She shook her head, freeing herself from his barely-there grasp. "It is only a whimsical thought of a female, it shall pass."

"Are you so sure of that?"

"It has to. You've made that clear."

"Have I? I said you will find your secret eventually, which does not always mean far into the future."

" _I feel strange when I'm around you, Dyre. I can't explain it."_

" _I feel the same. My mother says that when you care for someone deeply, you feel differently about them."_

" _If that is the case, I care for you, a lot. I don't want you to vanish from my life."_

" _My father demands it. He says I'm too old to run wild with boys."_

" _If there is no avoiding it, I want to do something…"_

At her fallen expression, he added, "I don't like seeing you hurt, especially if it was by something I have done or said." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles gently. "I cannot share a secret with you like your parents had; that was theirs and theirs alone. Yet, I can provide you with one unique to us. Something only we can understand. That is, if you agree to it."

Her eyes showed signs of unshed tears, but she held them back with a smile. "Just like you to say such a thing."

"I mean every word." To show his honesty he leaned forward, starting a kiss that he knew she had never felt from him before. In the month they had been together, he had been domineering, rough, seeking his release and hers. This was nothing like before. He pulled away for only a moment before he resumed, feeling her press herself against his body in reflex. He nudged her gently into her room and closed the door behind him. With equal softness, he turned her around and pushed her into the barrier, still keeping his motions tame.

Being gentle was far from his liking usually, and he never thought to indulge a female in such a way. He had only known how to be in control of every situation. However, given what his only friend had been through, what her inevitable emotions had brought her to, he thought this the single reasonable answer to her troubles. She had been accepting as a submissive to his advances before, and never attempted to take control. While he deeply liked that about her, he wanted this time to be different. Roles were not necessary. For the first time, he wanted a woman to be his equal, not to take orders from him.

He knew she wouldn't know how to take the lead; he hadn't given her a chance to do so in the past. He took her hands from around his neck and placed them at the top button of his shirt. She seemed to take the hint, and proceeded to pop each of the buttons slowly, as if testing the waters. He almost smiled at her hesitant ways, until she popped the last button and ran her hands over his bare flesh. She parted her lips for him, allowing him to deepen the kiss, leaving his head reeling. By now, they'd both be naked and thrusting against each other, seeking a carnal sort of release. Instead, she seemed content with tracing the contours of his chest, until curiosity appeared to win her over.

She broke their kiss only to trail her lips down his throat, sucking gently on his Adam's apple for a moment and continuing downward to his collarbone. All the while, her hands had been pressed against the growing bulge in his slacks, causing a sharp hiss to leave his lips. With the restraint of a saint, he stopped her and brought her back into a bruising kiss. With her focus distracted, he slipped a hand up her loose shirt, instantly eliciting a soft moan and a harder kiss from her. Almost out of instinct, he rolled his hips into her center, making her gasp in response. He was not immune to the motion, and felt a sharp shock of pleasure run up his belly. He couldn't keep his patience in check and shifted her weight to his hips, pressing her to the wall to keep their balance. His restraint slowly slipping, he continued his movement, making her squeal in pleasure as the pressure became too much for her.

She held on to his shoulders for support, starting to match his thrusts. Soon, it wasn't enough. He wanted the clothes gone, all barriers wiped from existence. He wanted more of her than was physically possible. He wanted all of her, and he couldn't wait any longer. He took her from the wall and sat on the bed, keeping her firmly in his lap. When she regained balance in their new positions he hiked her shirt up over her head, watching in fascination as her hair fell over her shoulders, and her blue eyes portrayed absolute trust, something no other being had given him. He kissed her lips, and then her neck, and finally her ear, pulling the lobe between his teeth and biting gently, causing her to let out a sound similar to a purr. He grinned and did it again, reaching between them to play with her breasts. "Tell me what you want, Dyre."

"Mm, I want you. All of you."

He placed her down on the bed and hovered over her. "And you'll have me, just you wait." At her soft whine of protest, he laughed against the skin of her throat. "Patience. You'll enjoy this." He crept his fingers down her belly, lightly tracing patterns into her skin. He could feel her tense up, hear her breath hitch as he reached the juncture of her hips. His fingers came into contact with her slick juices and a shock of pleasure raced up his spine; his pants seemed too constricting by now. "You're wet. Not wet enough though."

She moaned and arched her back the instant he touched her bundle of nerves, and he couldn't wait much longer. He tugged the shorts easily down her legs and shifted his body in front of her to take them off and toss them haphazardly over his shoulder. Before she figure out what he was doing, he did something else he had never done before.

He bowed before another creature.

With a skill he didn't know he possessed, he flicked his tongue over her slit, tasting a sweetness he had only licked off his fingers before. Right from the source was even sweeter, a taste only unique to her. He held her legs apart and chanced a glance at her, seeing her head tilt back and a high moan passed her lips. He returned his concentration on her, aware of her fingers lightly raking through his hair, tugging gently in the way he had grown to love.

Love?

" _Dyre, I think I love you."_

" _You're only saying that because I kissed you and… you know."_

" _No, it isn't that. I feel more than a deep feeling of caring about you. Anything more than that has to be love."_

" _Loki, you can't love me. It… It will only make this harder. Please don't do that to us."_

He remembered the emotions he had questioned and locked away when he thought he would never see her again. Her legs tensed under his grasp and he let go, using his fingers to hold her lower lips open wider, giving him better access to his prize. She cried out and her moans became desperate mewls, and her fingers fell to the sheets beside him, bunching the fabric up between them. With one last flick he sent her body into shakes and her mewls quieted to a single moan. At the last minute he pushed his fingers inside of her, using a fast thrusting pace to draw out her orgasm.

While she was distracted he used his magic to unbuckle his pants and pull them open, letting them fall enough to free his painfully hard self. Without giving her a chance to calm down he pushed himself inside her, almost laughing at how good and tight she felt right after he brought her over the edge. He lifted her hips and held her in place as he checked himself and slowed down, keeping his pace even and slow, his eyes never leaving hers for a moment. She pushed a few strands of loose hair out of his face and rested her hand against his cheeks. He didn't stop himself from starting their kiss up again, a warmth passing through his body. He found his hands roaming over her body, finding all the places that heightened her pleasure.

" _Why can't I love you?"_

" _It will only make this harder, knowing I can't have you."_

" _But you can."_

" _You're a prince, Loki. I can't."_

" _You can if I say you can."_

" _It doesn't work like that. I love you as well, but it can never be."_

Their pace couldn't stay steady for long. It almost felt like teasing, and he knew she felt the same. Her hips began to seek his own, and he met her with equal fervor, hearing her whisper his name into his skin. While her inner walls clamped down hard on him, her teeth took purchase in his flesh and she moaned into his chest. The pain released more endorphins and a shiver ran up his spine. He all but lost it as her nails bit into his back and pulled while she screamed and squeezed too tightly for him to handle. His release took over his body, forcing him to slow down and give a few hard thrusts into her, listening to their heavy breathing as they calmed down, chests heaving.

His head fell into her shoulder and he let out a soft chuckle as he realized the mess he had made between them. "Sorry, I know I promised I'd stop doing that."

She laughed too. "Just get me a towel. I'm fine."

Loki looked around for the towel she had most likely used after her shower and turned his magic on it so he didn't have to get up.

"Though I have to ask, why be a romantic all of a sudden?"

He handed her the towel once he was done, choosing his words carefully. "I thought you were angry with me for something I said. I didn't want to ruin what we had." He waited a moment, letting her have a chance to use the towel. "I didn't want to lose you again."

She let the towel fall off her bed and she leaned into him, pushing his loose hair back again. "You didn't lose me intentionally. You're royalty. I'm not. It could never have worked regardless of my father's intervention."

He nodded, leaning his forehead against hers. "I know that. I know when we go back, we will have to stop this. It will not be allowed to continue. My father does not care about small flings, so if he were to hear of what we had done the night this all began, it would not matter. If he knew it would continue upon our return… We should stop when we return."

"I—I know."

"I said 'we should', not we will."

She studied his expression, trying to find his intentions. "We couldn't. How would we even get away with such a thing?"

"You could live in the palace so you could be closer to everything. You could have your own quarters, away from your mother and you place of work. Alone. I could slip in to see you when we need to, and no one will be any wiser."

A grin broke out on her face, her eyes lighting up with the mention of rule breaking and mischief. "Naughty boy."

"Only with you." He allowed her to push him back on the bed, interested in where she was taking this. "Let me guess, you're to punish me for such dirty thoughts and desires?"

She smiled and bit at her lower lip. "To reward you, actually, for such a lovely idea. Though I suppose a punishment is also due."

"Ooh, is my little kitten being bold tonight?" He gave her a challenging grin, wanting to see just how far she would take the act. She had never been one to take over, and deep down, he wanted to see it. "Let's see it then. Dominate your master."

She gave an amused smirk. "As you wish."

* * *

A soft growl woke her from her restless dreams. Dyre narrowed her eyes to the darkness, remembering she had never let Marrku back into her room after Loki had kicked him out.

"Something's wrong," he muttered, still laying down. The growl grew louder, followed by a gruff bark that clearly meant a warning. Loki sat up and summoned his clothes to his body. "The elf is here. We need to leave."

"I'm tired of running," she whispered, retrieving proper clothes from her closet without seeing what she was grabbing. "We need to fight back."

He looked over his shoulder to the door, hearing Markku let out the same bark of warning. "Don't be rash. Your power is nothing compared to mine yet."

"Then why bother teaching me what you have?" A louder growl from Markku made her go quiet. "I will not run."

He sighed through his nose, giving up the pointless argument. "Then stay out of sight." He vanished before her eyes, making her scowl at where he once stood.

The sound of a blunt object making contact with something solid and squishy rose to her ears, followed by a grunt of pain. The sound of shattering glass and Markku yelping made her disobey her order. She ran into the hall just in time to see Loki throw Malak back on the beach, thrusting his staff into the elf's chest. The distinct cracking sound of bones rang out, and Dyre was grateful it was three in the morning with no chance of her neighbors seeing the fight. One of the two fighters must have thrown the other through one of the bay windows facing the ocean, causing the shattered glass.

She looked around, frantically trying to find the dog. A soft whine brought her attention to a corner, where Markku lay in a heap. "Markku!" She rushed to his side, sliding her knees on the tile as she landed painfully. She ran a hand over the furry body, locating the source of pain in the dark. She stopped short at a puncture wound, blood seeping from the stab. She easily found her source of magic and converted it to healing energies, sealing up the dog's wounds.

The whines slowly subsided, giving way to silence. The way he was breathing showed he was resting, regaining his strength. Once satisfied with his status, she leapt to her feet, energy glowing in her palms. The elf had crossed the final line when he had stabbed her dog. Once within range, seeing the elf locked in battle with Loki, she flung the energy, narrowly missing her target as he realized what she was to do and ducked out of the way, backing out of the range of a swing from the staff.

However, the elf didn't see Loki's power fly off the staff until it was too late. Malak hit the sand hard, rattling his fractured ribs. By the light of the moon, Dyre could see a trickle of liquid reflect off Malak's lips. As the elf tried to get up, Loki pushed his staff into Malak's rib cage, making the elf scream out in pain.

"Loki, stop. Others may hear him."

"Let them come," he hissed between his teeth, murder in his eyes. "They can see the last moments of this pathetic man's life."

Malak cried out louder as more pressure was added.

"Brother, stop!"

Dyre turned to see Thor appear from a portal made by the Bifrost. Heimdall must have been watching them, and sent Thor the moment he noticed Malak make an appearance. She'd have to thank the gatekeeper upon her return, though not before making sure he hadn't seen anything else.

Loki gave a frustrated growl and backed away, shifting his grip on his staff. He threw one last nasty glance at the elf before turning on his brother. "Is this not the man who has been after Dyre for over a month? Is this not the same man who murdered her father? Wanted to steal her will away?"

"He must face Asgardian justice for his crimes, you know this."

He visibly stiffened, knowing his brother's words to hold truth. It didn't change how they all felt about the elf. "If that is the case, I will enjoy seeing him hung for his actions," he spat out before stalking away, preventing himself from causing any more damage to the elf.

Dyre looked hopeful. "Does this mean I can return to Asgard? I am safe?"

"We will be moving your mother and yourself to the palace to ensure you continue to be safe. Lady Eir has been thinking, and decided it would be best for everyone. You will be able to better treat your patients as well, with access to whatever supplies you will need whenever you need them."

Dyre was shocked for only a moment before she felt like bursting out laughing. She had to thank her mother thoroughly when they returned. Instead, she kept her composure. "So, it's over?"

Thor nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Indeed, my friend. We can all return home."

A sudden thought washed over her. "Oh, no. What about Markku?"

The prince of Asgard frowned in thought. "There is nothing that says canines cannot enter the gates of the Bifrost. He is yours to keep."

She pulled him into a grateful embrace, almost forgetting about the elf incapacitated in pain on the sand. "Thank you Thor. Thank you so much." She glanced around Thor's massive arms, seeing Loki stare at the moon hovering over the surf. "It's all over."

"You can finally come home."

Her gaze never wavered. "I wonder if everything will remain the same."

"It will be different, living in the palace, but you should have no trouble readjusting to your life there." He had no idea what she really meant, and she preferred it that way. No one could know what had happened in their weeks of seclusion.

She smiled, its meaning kept only for her. Their lives were bound by a secret that no one else would understand. "I'm sure I'll adjust perfectly fine."


	16. Chapter 16

16.

Upon her arrival to Asgard, she was instantly met by her mother, pulled into a tight embrace. "I was so worried about you." Eir took in her daughter's looks. "What happened to your beautiful hair?"

"I had to change it to try to look different. It didn't seem to work. I like the change though."

Eir had a look that said otherwise, but pulled her daughter back in to her arms regardless. "Is it really all over?"

Dyre nodded as the brothers took Malak away before Eir could really notice the elf's presence. "It's over now, Mother."

"I am glad to see you are well," a male voice said off to the side.

Dyre looked to see Odin standing there, staff in hand, Heimdall by his side. She instantly pulled away from her mother and bowed, her right fist to her chest. "Allfather. I am so grateful for everything you have provided for my family's safety."

Beside her, Markku barked, making Eir jump. "And who is this?"

"This is Markku. I… rescued him while on the island. He's been with me ever since. He helped take down Malak to the best of his ability. I was told I could bring him back." She turned her attention to Odin. "If that is agreed upon by you, sir."

Odin merely smiled. "Dogs are the only creatures loyal to the end. Of course he can stay. I believe he'll enjoy his time with the other canines." He lifted his staff and motioned for them to follow. "I will show you to your chambers. You may do as you like afterward."

Dyre bowed again, this time with her mother. "Thank you."

* * *

She was brought to the same room she would have used the night of the festival, had she otherwise not been engaged in other activities for the night. If Odin knew about the unused bed, he said nothing. He left the women, saying he needed to tend to the prisoner.

Dyre led her mother into the room by her hands, sitting her down on the bed. "I know I haven't seen you in so long, and there is much that needs to be said. I have news for you."

"You're pregnant?"

She was thrown off course. "What? No, no! Why would you even think that?"

Eir gave a tired smile. "All mothers worry like that. Though, some hope for it."

"Keep hoping then."

"So you used the medication I taught you to mix?"

Dyre shook her head. "That is not— Why are you so interested in what happened?"

"All right, I'm through. What do you need to tell me?"

Dyre took a deep breath, staring into her mother's exhausted features. "Mother, I… I don't know how, or why, but, I have magic," she said quickly.

Eir frowned. "How on Asgard—"

"I don't know."

"Why do you have such a dreadful gift?"

Dyre's heart fell. "Oh, no, Mother, it isn't dreadful. Loki's taught me so much."

Eir scoffed. "I'm sure he has."

"Mother! He taught me only to defend myself and how to heal others. I can heal things without using risky medications. There is so much I can do now." She motioned to Markku, who was sniffing everything in the room. "I saved my dog from death, think of what I can do for Asgardians injured from hunting, from wars." She narrowed her eyes. "And do not belittle the man who stood by me for over a month to be sure I stayed safe in an environment he despised. He may be mischievous, but he knows when to stop and be serious."

Eir's expression fell. "I know I'm being too harsh. I'm just so tired, and so glad you are safe and that your father's murderer is captured."

Dyre took her mother's hands again. "We both owe much to the Odinsons." A soft knock on her bedroom door captured her attention. "Come in!" She hid a smile as Loki entered, hiding his surprise at seeing her mother still there. "I thought you'd be tired of seeing me by now."

"I came to make sure you had settled in properly," he craftily lied. She knew the real reason he had been there, expecting her to be alone. "Though I see you are busy. I will leave you to your reunion."

"Wait." Eir got up from Dyre's bed and stood in front of the taller man. "My daughter has told me much of what you have done for her."

"All good, I hope."

As an answer, Eir pulled him into a hug he was not prepared for. "Thank you, Loki Odinson, for everything you have done for my daughter, and for me."

He glanced over to Dyre, who only gave him a soft smile.

Eir cleared her throat and stepped away. "I should return to filling the supplies in the healing room. Dyre, I expect you there tomorrow to try to make life return to how it was."

"Of course, Mother." She watched her mother leave, gently closing the door behind her. "So what is the real reason of your visit?"

"My intentions were true. I did only come here to make sure you had settled in."

"A large majority of my things are missing, but I'll acquire them over time." She twirled a lock of hair around that had fallen over her shoulder. "My mother doesn't seem to like my hair now."

"I prefer the black, though that may be a bit biased of me." He sat on the bed next to her. "In general, I prefer the black hair over blonde for personal reasons."

She frowned. "In reference to what?"

"Never mind it." He saw her flinch very slightly to his clipped words. He waited a moment, testing the words in his head. "Amora. She had blonde hair."

"I thought she only taught you magic." Her eyes widened as he looked away. "Oh, Loki…"

"It wasn't meant to be regardless. She had an eye for my brother. To my knowledge, she still does."

She placed a gentle hand on his clothed arm. "You don't need to say anything more." She wasn't sure what to do. It wasn't like him to set many of his cards on the table. She shifted to his lap, straddling his hips, and kissed him gently. She almost felt relieved as he returned the motion. She reluctantly pulled away and rested her forehead to his. "You don't need to tell me everything. I understand why you are how you are. I understand what we have is complicated, but it can work, in our own way." She smirked. "I wanted to keep my hair black, if that helps any."

He laughed through his nose. "It does." He gave her another quick kiss before he had her get up. "I have to join my brother and the others to discuss the terms of Malak's trial. I can come back tonight, if you wish."

"If that is my only option."

"Until nightfall then."

She watched him leave, and hated how curious she was to his past, and surprised at a small twinge of jealousy. She shook her head to rid herself of the negativity. What he had done while they were separated was none of her business. Especially when they had agreed nothing could come from their relationship beforehand.

" _My father demands it. He says I'm too old to run wild with boys."_

" _If there is no avoiding it, I want to do something…"_

_She felt nervous, more nervous than she had ever been before. She couldn't keep lying to herself that she only spent so much time with the adolescent boy before her because his brother was too arrogant for her tastes. The truth had been simmering under the surface for a few years, while their hormones were going through a tricky change, and she began seeing her friends in a different way. The one before her now made a different change in her. Just his smile made her blush, and his laugh made her worse. She began feeling… things. Things she was too embarrassed to ask her mother about._

" _Dyre, would it be wrong if I asked to kiss you?"_

" _I…I don't know." She saw he looked almost as uncertain as her, putting her in a sense of security. Though he tricked a lot of people, he hadn't tricked her in a long time. She trusted him to never hurt her. "I want you to."_

_That seemed to be the only invitation he needed. They closed the space hesitantly, still feeling strange about confessing to anything after their many years of just being friends. As soon as their lips touched, she felt a spark shoot through her body, and her nerves were leaving her feeling numb everywhere but there. He must have felt it as well by the way he suddenly pulled back, staring at her._

" _Is something wrong?"_

" _Nothing at all."_

_Her face flushed. "Can you do it again?"_

_He nodded almost fervently and leaned over her in the grass of the gardens._

_She felt lightheaded, and pulled him with her as she laid back. The feel of his weight on her felt right, and she almost didn't want to breathe, lest they would stop what they were doing. A warmth flooded to the junction of her hips and she instinctively moved against his leg, almost overwhelmed by the sudden shock of pleasure. A noise she didn't even know she could make left her throat, muffled by his kiss._

_He pulled away from her, letting them both realize how short of breath they were. "This may seem odd, but, I want you to touch me."_

_She wasn't sure what he meant, and so reached under his shirt to feel his developing muscles. The shiver she received made the pressure between her legs grow._

" _Not—not there. Lower."_

" _I couldn't—"_

" _Please, Dyre."_

_She had never heard him ask for anything in such a manner, in such desperation. She tentatively trailed the tips of her fingers lower, over the edge of his slacks, over something that was not there when they had met under the stars not long ago. He instantly hissed and jerked against her touch, pressing against her hand without control. She didn't get a chance to think of anything else before he started kissing her again._

_She gave a hesitant squeeze to whatever he had in his slacks and he moaned loudly against her lips. She shifted hers open when he did, and felt his tongue slip into her mouth. If her senses weren't on overdrive before, they were then. Their tongues danced around each other, trying to gain dominance. Her hips bucked against his leg without her commanding it. All of her senses couldn't stand it. He tasted so sweet, and she wanted more, but couldn't understand what more was. She instinctively sucked on his tongue for a moment before starting the dance again, leaving her head reeling._

_He pulled back as well, only to bite her lower lip, causing pleasure to erupt over her body in a mild way. Something else was growing in her belly, something that terrified her. Though with his weight over her, his musky scent, everything that she had grown to trust, she felt at ease and let whatever was going to happen do what it needed to do. A coil snapped in her, making her wrap her arms around his neck for stability as she twitched against his body, moaning into his lips._

_When she went limp against him, he finally pulled off her lips, staring at them, as if deciding if he wanted more. He flicked his gaze to her eyes as she calmed down, and she saw something else she hadn't before._

" _Dyre, I think I love you."_

She snapped out of her memory as Markku jumped onto her bed. Her mouth had gone dry and she felt lightheaded, amongst other things. She sighed and sat up. "I suppose you could use a tour of the place and see where you'll eat with the other dogs. Just hope they don't decide to eat you."

Markku huffed, but must have understood that she meant to take him outside. He pranced over to the door, making small whining sounds.

She laughed and met him at the door. "Behave yourself."

They walked along the halls of the palace, letting Dyre see how little had changed. Even the garden was how she remembered it, from what she actually could remember of the scenery. She continued on, still awestruck by the massive statues lining the walls.

"Ah, Miss Dyre, what a pleasure to see you alive and well."

She looked to see Fandral approaching her. "Fandral, it is nice to see you as well," she said, her words clipped. "I thought you'd be deciding on Malak's trial."

"The Warriors Three are not involved with such matters. Not this one, at least." He frowned. "Why have you changed your lovely shade of gold locks?"

"I needed to avoid detection, though I suppose it did not work as it should have."

"Did he change it for you?"

She felt her eyes narrow. "I changed it. It was my choice."

He held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "I only wanted to make sure you were treated well. Thor told us you two had been… involved when he went to check on you."

"Does it matter?"

"You must know of his history with women. He does not keep them for longer than a night. I only worry he kept you because he knew he had no other options." He must have felt her growing angry, since he quickly added, "Not since Amora."

Her anger broke then. "What does the witch have anything to do with who he took to bed in the past?"

"I was there when she came to him to offer her services of teaching him other ways to use his magic. I saw what happened. She broke him. Made him incapable of trusting someone enough to let them close to him. However, as you know, men have needs."

Things began to click in her head. She knew Amora appeared not long after she was taken away from his life. What everyone did not know was Amora hadn't been the only thing that broke him. "She only wanted Thor."

"Yes, but Thor wanted nothing to do with her. When Loki surpassed her teaching, he sent her away. He had always been an ass, but after then he grew intolerable with his pranks."

"Maybe if you all would give him a chance instead of shutting him out."

"We still let him join our hunts," he countered. "He is still allowed to stay with us and join us when we do anything. He is the one who makes himself who he is."

She shook her head and walked away, Markku following close behind.

"Be careful!" Fandral shouted to her, leaving the other way.

Not much had changed indeed. She returned to the garden, looking out towards the Bifrost where the world seemed to end. The view had always been stunning no matter how many times she viewed it. Markku wandered off, attempting to sniff everything to take inventory of the new smells. She laughed, though felt an overwhelming wave of sadness crash over her. She had inadvertently taken part in breaking the man she cared most about. No one else knew what they had done under the stars that night that she knew of, and so no one would have known about their confessions right before she had been taken away. She tried denying her feelings for years, and in the process, started believing her denial.

She leaned against the wall protecting the garden, staring at the Bifrost gate in the distance. She didn't know how long she stood in the gardens. The celestial sky distracted her from noticing the light fade behind her. She sighed and righted herself. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

She spun around, a hand to her chest in an attempt to calm her heart. She looked away when she realized who had found her. "Fandral found me. He told me the missing pieces of your story. The ones I didn't want to hear."

Loki's face fell neutral. "Did he? And what did the warrior say?"

"Amora was what broke you, what made you not trust anyone again. That's not true though, not completely."

"It is not. However, it is in the past. Nothing can change that."

She forced herself to look at him, seeing he had changed into his armor, minus his helmet. "We can't go back, can we?"

"Not at all." He took a seat on a bench and motioned for her to take the place next to him. "What has happened has made us who we are."

The stone felt cold through the fabric of her dress, but she tolerated it. "I can't help but feel as if I had a part in everything. What we did that night before—"

"Leave it alone. You did what you could have done. Things between us may have changed, but that history will always be there. If it turns into what it was, so be it, but if not, at least we have our memories."

She fell silent, looking to the well manicured grass. She found she had nothing more to say. She knew she couldn't keep blaming herself for a fault that was not her own.

"Malak's trial is set for tomorrow."

She turned her attention to him. "Why tell me this?"

"You need to be there. The closure would do you well." He shook his head. "The fool still thinks you are his, even upon his deathbed."

"There isn't much more to tell him otherwise. If broken ribs don't do the trick, I don't know what will—Hey!" She was caught off guard as he tugged her into his lap and pulled the hair away from her neck. "Loki, what are you doing?"

As an answer her latched on to her neck, biting and teasing the flesh. He made sure to do everything to leave a mark, his mark, no matter what it took. Once sure it would stay, he kissed the skin and put her hair back. "Make sure the elf sees this before he meets his end."

"That's not entirely fair."

"He is to die, that isn't—"

"I don't give a damn about him. I mean that isn't fair to me. You can leave one that will be seen, yet I can't?"

He flashed a grin. "I never said you couldn't. That is, if you can bruise me."

"Come back to my room for an hour and I'll do more than that."

"Well then, let's see what more you can do."


	17. Chapter 17

17.

A dull pounding against his door woke him early the next morning, making him wonder who dared to pull him out of such a relaxing sleep. He had his answer as his brother entered without permission, closing the door behind him. "It was a good thing I came to make sure you were awake," Thor said with a smirk, crossing his arms. "And I see you're alone today."

"She stayed in her room last night. I think we both deserved a full night alone to recover." He propped himself on his elbows and hissed, feeling sore in places he never had before. "Remind me not to let that woman have access to whips again."

Thor snorted and restrained the rest of his laughter. His curiosity won out though. "Do I want to know where she hit you?"

"Not in the slightest."

"When you say that, I'm starting to think she literally whipped your ass into submission."

"Ha ha. Insufferable ass." Loki got out of bed, grateful he kept his pants on before falling asleep. "I allow her to think she has control, that is all."

"And you seem to allow her to lay claim to your skin." He nodded towards his brother's chest, where a very prominent mark stood out. Thor's playful grin vanished. "I'm surprised you went to her bed again. It isn't like you."

"Some things change." He shrugged. "I'll be bored of her eventually. Right now, she's proving to be an excellent source of entertainment."

"Is that all she is?" At his brother's confused stare, he continued. "You told me what happened that night before Dyre was told to not see us again. Emotions like that are not easily buried, especially not when the situation is like this."

Loki scoffed. "Oh? And you would know this how? Listen to me very clearly. I do not love this woman. Love is for fools. Do I care for her? Yes, but not out of something I thought I felt in the past."

"Who are you lying to now, Brother?" He brushed it off. "The trial is to begin in an hour. I trust you'll be prepared by then."

He bit his tongue. "Yes, I will."

"Good." He opened the door and stood by it for a moment. In an afterthought, he addressed his brother again. "No one is here to judge you."

"I am not worried about what others think."

"So you say." He shook his head. "It is your life. Do as you wish." Without another word he left, his next destination the dungeons.

* * *

Dyre nervously shifted amongst the crowd who came out to see the execution. The rare times this had happened, she never wanted to see it. However, with it being so personal, she was brought up front to see it happen. It didn't make her any less sick to her stomach thinking about it. Malak stood in the middle, facing a noose with more composure than anyone could give him credit for. The brothers stood to his right, weapons at the ready in case something would go wrong. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif stood behind them, also ready to fight. Dyre couldn't believe such force would be necessary with the elf's broken bones.

Odin ordered the noose be placed around Malak's neck, and another wave of nausea hit her. She only hoped her mother's tea would start working in time. She looked to the brothers and caught Loki's eye. He merely flashed her a small smile before recomposing himself.

"Due to his crimes against Asgard, Malak Yvesa is sentenced to death by means of asphyxiation."

Dyre pulled her hair over her shoulder subconsciously, using it to keep herself calm.

Malak immediately took notice to the bite mark she had been hiding the entire time. "You tramp! After everything I could have given you! How dare you lie with another man! Harlot!" He wasn't allowed to say any more before he was raised off his feet.

Dyre looked away, haunted by the gurgling sounds of death Malak was producing. She only hoped no one knew who he was screaming to. She let her hair fall back into place and she left the crowd, unable to listen to the elf's last sounds. She had been willing to kill him herself, but not like that. Slow and torturous is what he deserved, but not what she would have chosen herself.

The rest of the palace remained silent, broken only by the applause of the crowd itching to see a murderer put in his place. She used the silence to her advantage and wandered to the healing room. "Mother?"

Eir looked up from her work of mixing medicines. "Did the tea help?"

"Just in time it would seem."

Her mother frowned. "Dyre? You're shaking. Did something happen?"

Dyre took a seat in front of the burning hearth, staring at the fire. "Everything was fine. I was handling it all fairly well, as well as I could knowing he was to die slowly. Then… he started screaming. He called me a tramp. I can only hope no one thinks he meant me. He could have been staring at anyone."

Eir stood by her daughter's side stroking her hair. "I don't believe anyone would listen to the words of a condemned man, especially in this circumstance." She placed her hand on Dyre's shoulder. "Why don't you help me with the medicines? I know you say you can heal people with your… your magic, but I still want to have these just in case I cannot find you."

She nodded. "Yes, of course." She would take just about any excuse to keep her mind off of what just happened.

* * *

Loki watched her leave after Malak had been silenced, knowing he couldn't do much else besides remain where he was. He had wanted to kill the elf himself after his outburst, but that wasn't his place. The people of the realm began muttering amongst each other at the elf's words.

"Why do I have a feeling you had something to do with this?" Thor murmured.

"I may have left a mark of my own in plain sight. I didn't expect a verbal reaction such as this."

"You need to learn to think a few paces ahead, Brother."

Loki held his tongue, knowing it was pointless to argue with his sibling. In Thor's mind, he was always right, and no one could tell him otherwise. He remained silent through the rest of the execution until they were all relieved of their duties. He tried to leave, but Thor grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along without a word.

His friends followed them to the room they would rest in after a long hunt, relaxing in front of the fire pit. Thor let go of his brother's arm. "What were you thinking?"

"I didn't know it would go that far."

"What's he done now?" Volstagg asked, starting to become irritated with his lack of another meal.

"My genius brother decided it would be a fine idea to leave a mark on Dyre, one that Malak would see before he died."

Loki held his hands up in defense. "I meant no harm by it, I swear. I only wanted the elf to realize his efforts were in vain. I did not know he would yell such things into the crowd."

"I warned her about you," Fandral said, a sneer evident on his face. "I warned her you were nothing but trouble. I don't see why she defends you so."

"Because she loves him," Sif answered curtly. "It was obvious by the way she looked at him today."

The trickster fell silent then, choosing to not respond.

"You must end this before she is hurt," Thor demanded. "If what you say is true and you do not love her in return, this game you are playing needs to stop."

"And who are you to tell me what I must do?" he answered quietly.

"Your elder brother. And her friend. She does not deserve to be cast aside when you grow bored of her."

Loki glared at his brother, but did not raise his voice. "Your arrogance will be your undoing someday."

Thor advanced on him. "Is that a threat?"

"An observation. You would be wise to check your temper." He stepped around his brother and left the room. He hoped she was still with her mother and would talk to him. He also hoped he could keep track of his lies.

* * *

Dyre hadn't expected anyone to come in to be healed so soon. She set down her grinding bowl and looked to the door as she heard it close behind her. She frowned. "Loki, what are you doing here?"

"I… needed to make sure you were fine."

"A little worked up, but nothing a little, ah, medication can't fix."

It was his turn to frown as she began to grin. "Dyre, were you… Did you take some of the potent medications?"

She laughed. "No, not yet. I'm working." She nodded to the empty table next to her. "My mother went into town for supplies. She won't be back for a few hours yet. I think we could play doctor for a bit."

He laughed through his nose. "As much as I would love to give you an intimate examination, I came to apologize. And, I need to know something."

"You don't need to apologize. We both had no idea what he would do. Some things cannot be foreseen." She shrugged. "Besides, I think I did well enough last night to make up for anything you would say today. How is your backside anyway?"

"Healed, thank you very much. My back is still scratched up, however. And you left a trophy for yourself." He couldn't show her through his armor, but he pointed where her bite mark still lay on his chest. "I still need to know one more thing."

"Anything."

"Do you love me?"

Her face fell. "Anything but that." She got up and walked over to the supply cabinet. "Why ask such a thing?"

"Sif made an observation. She said it was obvious in how you looked at me."

"Sif needs to keep her mouth shut then, or I'll shut it for her." She walked away from the cabinet, closing it with magic as an afterthought.

"Dyre, I need to know."

"Why is it so damn important? I don't know if I do, Loki. Isn't that enough?" She looked up from her work, wanting the conversation to go anywhere but where it was. "I did once, now I'm not sure. It might seem like I do since I felt it once, but it isn't like then."

"We were still not yet adults. Things change."

She was put off by his calm, quiet voice. When they were alone on the island, he had shown who he could be, who he really was away from the others. Upon his return to Asgard, he became quiet and calculating again. "What would happen if I did?"

"Nothing would change." He walked around the circular table in the middle of the room housing all the medication she had made so far. "I don't see a reason for anything to change. As I said last night, if things return to how they were before we parted, that is what it is. If it did not, it also would be what it is." He turned his gaze back to her. "So, what is your answer?"

She licked her lips, not realizing how dry they had become. She leaned against the back table. "I don't love you. Not like I once did." She took a deep breath, seeing a light fading from his eyes in the dimness of the room. "That does not mean I do not have the capability to love you, if it became that."

"Well then, it's good to have that in the open." He smiled despite her words. "Because I don't love you either."


	18. Chapter 18

18.

The year passed faster than anyone could have realized. In two days time, Thor would receive his coronation. Most were pleased by the event and the entire palace prepared to honor their new king. Even those in the commons were preparing, finding gifts of any sort that they could offer.

Only one man questioned the idea of Thor claiming the throne. Given his position, he couldn't readily voice his opinion. Not to anyone who could make an actual difference. "Look at them frolic about, gathering things for a man who does not value his future kingdom."

Dyre stood beside him, a short nightdress gracing her body. "Come back to bed, Loki. There is nothing you can do at this point."

"Thor is not ready to rule."

"I know this. Odin seems to think he is, however."

"My father is a blind fool."

"Half blind," she said with a chuckle. "Really, come back to bed with me. Staring out the window will only make you more cross."

He shook his head. "If only he could see how much of a giant ass he is." He pursed his lips in sudden thought.

Dyre frowned. "I know that look. What are you thinking?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

She groaned and stood in front of him, crossing her arms. "We've been doing this dance for an entire year. I thought we agreed we would discuss issues that would arise in our lives."

"We also agreed to leave emotions out, but we see how well that worked."

"There was nothing we could have done to stop it. The heart knows what the heart wants. Mine seems to keep after a certain god who loves to terrorize the innocent."

He held up a finger and grinned. "Ah, they are not always innocent. And I seem to find you causing more and more mischief these days."

She merely shrugged. "Business is slow in the healing room these days. A few wet floors here and there never killed anyone."

"The last person you healed had a fractured skull."

"But she didn't die." She snaked her arms around his neck, feeling his own hold on to her hips. "What about your heart? What is it after?"

"It seems to be after a woman who is finding her place in the magical world, who isn't afraid to cause panic when panic is due." He gave her a quick kiss. "And who is a fantastic lay."

"I was yours to mould from the start." She nodded to the bed. "So, how about it?"

"As much as I would love to make you ruin my back with your nails, I have something I have to do. If you don't see me for a day—"

She sighed. "I know, don't worry about it. It is fine. I've learned how to deal with this on my own."

A shiver of pleasure raced up his spine at the thought of her touching herself in his absence. "Mm, you'll have to show me when I return."

"Don't keep me waiting and I might."

She greedily accepted his kiss, and he wished he hadn't been so bothered by Thor's coronation. If it weren't for that distraction, he could have had his woman squirming beneath him. With a mental slap, he pulled away slowly, studying her eyes. "Until I return then." He left before she could try to convince him to stay, for he feared he would have given in if asked again. He hadn't planned for the wrench in the works of their arrangement. Over the year, things happened he couldn't foresee. They kept it quiet from everyone else, choosing to keep to the story that love had not entered their unconventional relationship.

He found that he needed the relationship a few months ago. Thor's superiority bled into the warriors, and even to Sif. They accepted him, allowed him to join them on their hunts, but that was it. He, the master of mischief, became the ass of many jokes, and he found himself holding his tongue more and more as he was reminded to learn his place. When with Dyre, he could let loose everything that had built up, and she would understand. Some days she would just listen, stroking his hair while he laid in her lap and spoke. Others she would offer what she could of advice, though it usually ended with her offering to do something to Thor. His favorite so far had been her idea of manipulating Thor to drink more than he should and parade around the palace with nothing on his person but a lamp shade, asking passersby to turn him on.

He chuckled at the memory as he proceeded down a hallway that wasn't used too often. Dyre was still an outlet for sex, he couldn't deny it, but she became more than just that. They had an unspoken agreement to never confess to the L-word, though it never stopped them from using other forms. He only hoped she would forgive him for what he was about to do if she ever figured out it was him. His brother needed to learn a lesson, and who better to teach him than the Jotuns?

* * *

Dyre looked on with her mother as the trumpets sounded the beginning of the coronation. It still amazed her how close they were. Most of the kingdom was down in the commons, while she and Eir could see Odin, Frigga, and the others quite clearly. The people cheered as Thor passed by them all, swinging Mjolnir around as if it were a toy and not a weapon of protection. Dyre applauded with the others as he passed by her without a second glance. His brother, however, caught her eye and winked. She blushed and smiled back, but could do nothing more as Odin tapped his staff against the floor, creating a thunderous sound that made the whole kingdom silent.

Dyre found she couldn't focus on Odin's words. She was more interested in how Thor was answering the questions provided to him. They sounded heartfelt, but at the same time, the agreements seemed rushed, as if he were trying to get it over with. When Odin paused unexpectedly, she turned her attention back to him. She could barely make out a hushed "Frost Giants" as he motioned for his sons to follow him out of the hall after he thumped his staff against the ground again.

Everyone in the chamber looked on in confusion, and a clamor of fear began to rise. Frigga stood up and motioned for silence. "I'm not sure what has happened. For now, we will assume the coronation has been postponed until further notice."

"Oh dear," Eir said, holding a hand over her chest. "Frost giants, in Asgard?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Dyre said, though she was worried herself.

"We should return to the healing room, just in case."

She nodded. "That seems wise." She gave one last look to where Odin stood not moments ago. "I hope everything is well…"

* * *

It took hours for them to hear anything. A guard came to the healing room, saying there was nothing that could be salvaged. They learned that the Jotuns had indeed gotten as far as the weapons vault, and they almost took their casket back. If it hadn't been for the dwarven-made Destroyer, they could have succeeded in much more devastation than the lives of two guards.

"What did three Jotuns hope to accomplish in all of Asgard?" Dyre said, her power simmering under the surface of her skin. "Even with the casket, they could not have hoped to take over all of Asgard alone."

The guard shook his head. "We aren't even sure how they got in, let alone what they hoped to accomplish. The Destroyer eliminated all trace of them, as it was built to do." He turned to Eir. "You have been requested to be on call in case anything else happens."

Eir nodded. "Understood. Thank you."

They watched the guard bow and leave, resuming his post somewhere in the palace.

"What dreadful news," Eir said, setting to work on preparing the beds for any unexpected arrivals. "Dyre, could you get the far left one please?"

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Yes, Mother." Something wasn't adding up. The Jotuns infiltrating Asgard's weapons vault on the day of Thor's coronation was too convenient. That, and there had been a peace treaty between Asgard and Jotunheim for many centuries. Why chose to break it now? She sighed and brushed it off as something she would probably never figure out.

She helped her mother as best as she could, and helped improve the lighting by catching the high candelabra wicks on fire with her magic. She was still determined to prove all magic was not as horrible as it was made out to seem. They worked for an hour, still hearing no further word on anything that had happened.

It made her jump as the main double doors slammed open, showing Fandral being supported between Volstagg and Hogun. She immediately jumped into action. "What on Asgard did you three do?"

"Thor led us to Jotunheim," Volstagg explained, helping Fandral onto one of the beds. "A great battle ensued. We were able to hold our own for awhile, when things started to turn sour. Odin came just in time to save us all."

She took Fandral's shirt off and examined the wound. Once certain of its depth and width, she proceeded to close it with her magic while her mother watched from a distance. Dyre looked to Volstagg, and almost yelped as she saw his arm. "Why is your arm blue?"

He looked at it as if it were another scratch. "One of the bastards grabbed me. Apparently this is what happens when they touch you."

"I don't think I can heal that. I wouldn't know where to begin."

"I'll mix a salve," Eir offered, and gathered the materials necessary.

Dyre looked over her work, tucking a strand of hair over her ear. "Was anyone else hurt?"

Volstagg shook his head. "Not that we know of. Odin seemed very angry with Thor however."

"I don't blame him. What did the fool think he was doing, bringing you all with him into that forsaken realm?"

Volstagg looked a little angry. "Now see here. I know he is your friend, and has been for most of your lives, but he is to be your king. Show a little respect."

"What kind of king throws his friends into battle like that? You could have died, Volstagg. What did you all think you would accomplish by barging straight into the heart of Jotunheim!"

"He sought revenge," Hogan said quietly. "This was to be his coronation, and the Jotuns took that from him when they came here."

She gave an exasperated sigh and stood. "I understand he was upset, but that does not give him the right to send you all to your deaths for some petty form of revenge. Is that what a king would do?" She looked at all three of them, seeing the thought flicker across their eyes. "I know you would follow Thor into Helheim itself, but was this really the right call?"

"It is not our place to question Thor's actions," Fandral said.

"Isn't it? You are his friends, not his lackeys. Friends help each other, not let them do stupid things." She took the medication from her mother and tossed it into Volstagg's grip. "You're free to go. Do as you wish with your lives."

Eir watched them go, surprised at her daughter's words. "Dyre, it is not your place to scold them."

"They could have all died, Mother. Thor dragged all of his hunting party with him into the heart of Jotunheim. Into the heart of an entire realm of beings that still hate us despite the treaty. Do you not realize what they could have done?"

"Even so, you must watch your tongue—"

"I am tired of being told to check myself! If my future king is to be so reckless, I don't see much of a kingdom. Do you?"

Eir fell quiet, wondering how long her daughter had such thoughts.

"Mother, Thor has been one of my closest friends in my entire life. I know he is bullheaded, but he needs to stop this." She pulled the sleeves of her dress down and left the healing room, unable to take the confinement of it any longer. Through her walk in the empty halls leading to her room, she wondered if everyone else really was fine. She held a hand to her head, feeling a sudden headache coming in. She supposed she would hear everything later on. Her confidant usually had many things to say when something happened that day, especially if it included his brother.


	19. Chapter 19

19.

A few hours of sleep came easy to Dyre, allowing her to sleep off her sudden headache. The only thing she couldn't shake off was the unsettling feeling in her gut that things still weren't right. Her curiosity was piqued at the events of the day, despite the fact she knew she would probably never know the entirety of it. Instead, she unlaced the front of her nightdress and tossed it to the floor. She took the robe hanging from her bedpost and slipped it on. Once the belt was secure, she went into her bathroom and began running water into the tub. She missed the option of showering, but the fact that they had sufficient plumbing was still good enough for her.

As she turned off the water, satisfied with the level in the tub, she heard her main door open and close slower than normal. She frowned and stood, making sure her robe stayed closed as she went back into her room.

"I tried to find you in the healing room, but your mother said you left some time ago."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You're so pale. I thought no one else was harmed on Thor's escapade."

She watched him stand with his fingertips pressed together, which she knew was something akin to a nervous tic. "Much has happened since we returned. Thor is gone."

"What?"

"Banished, not dead. Powerless in Midgard." He went to her bedside cupboard, looking for the liquor they had hidden there months ago. "Odin has also fallen into his Odinsleep. However, your mother is not sure when he shall awaken. He is far past his time of sleep. He put it off longer than he should have. In the past, it has only lasted a week, but now…" He poured a drink with shaky hands, and Dyre moved forward to help him. "There is another thing."

She handed him the glass and watched him put the amber liquid away as if it were water. "Loki, what is wrong? Your father will be fine."

"He is not my father."

She didn't know how much more confused she could be. "You're not making sense."

"What were you told about the Jotuns as you grew?" he asked while he filled his glass with two inches of liquid again.

"They are monsters incapable of compassion outside of their race, if even then. They don't care for anyone else. They are ruthless, bloodthirsty creatures." She put her palm over the brim of his glass and gently brought it down. "What are you on about?"

He avoided her eyes and remained silent for only a moment. "The Casket is not the only thing Odin brought back from the war. He found a child in the temple after he had brought Laufey to submission. He thought that one day the child could be used to further the peace between the realms." He caught her gaze then. "I am one of those ruthless creatures."

She felt an electric shock course through her veins and she felt her legs try to weaken beneath her. "That isn't possible. You aren't… huge. I mean, in height."

"I was converted, it would seem. Under a Jotun's touch, or by holding the Casket, I begin to show the change. I saw it, Dyre. I looked like them. I am them. I had always wondered why Odin would never dote upon me as he did to Thor, and I always wondered why everyone hated me so. I never understood why. Now, it is clear."

She moved her hand, allowing him access to the liquor. "So what do we do now?"

"I'm actually surprised you're still standing before me."

"I've no reason to run." She nodded to her bathroom. "Besides the fact my water is probably getting cold, though that doesn't seem to be much of a problem with magic these days."

He took his time with this glass, looking her over. "This isn't a shock to you?"

"It is. What woman wouldn't be shocked when the man she's been sleeping with the past year says he is a Frost Giant?" She shook her head. "Regardless, it doesn't change anything. You are who you are, your race changes nothing."

He stared at the remaining amber liquid. "I am not sure who I am anymore. I haven't been sure for some time."

"You'd be a much better king than your brother, for one thing," she said, plucking the glass from his grip. "You have compassion that not many royals would have. You just don't show it as much as you should." Instead of keeping him from the alcohol, she refilled the glass. "You would do anything to keep your loved ones safe, no matter the cost. Just because you find enjoyment in the misfortune of others does not make you a horrible person. It just means you are unique, unlike the other boring royals who find entertainment in gossip and dancing." She handed him the glass. "When it comes down to it, whether you are Jotun, or Asgardian, it does not change how I feel about you. If I am the only one who thinks so, so be it. You will at least know one person is on your side."

He remained silent, choosing to keep his focus on the liquor.

With a soft growl, she used both her hands to make him look at her. "You are Loki, Prince of Asgard. You are my lover and my friend. You are the God of Mischief. This is who you are."

Her eyes bore into his, and she could almost see how broken he had become over the course of his life. The endless jabs at his status had been all that he could take. This blow of not even being Asgardian was the last hit he could stand. "Am I any of that?" he said quietly, still not even sure of himself.

"Yes, you are. I don't care if you believe me or not, but it's all true." A sudden thought dawned on her, and her breath hitched in her throat. "Your father needs you right now. Asgard is without its protector until he wakens again."

"He doesn't need a bastard son."

"Then I need you! We all need you to take the throne in this time of war. Thor evoked Laufey's wrath at the worst time. If the Jotun king wants war, he will do it with Asgard at its weakest." She held her hands to his chest, feeling his heart rate escalate. "If they are allowed to enter Asgard, we all will die. Is that what you want?"

"Never."

"Then do what you must do. Take Thor's place, and keep your people safe."

He eyed the glass before setting it down finally, taking her hands in his instead. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you to set my head straight."

"You'd figure it all out on your own, I suspect. I'm only a medicine woman, after all."

"To everyone else." He looked to her bathroom door still ajar. "I think I should wash up before I do anything more, wouldn't you agree?"

She gave him a coy smile. "There's room for two in there."

* * *

He took longer than he initially planned on being in her quarters, leaving her to dress herself after she managed to find her discarded clothing around her bed. The sudden shock of learning his true heritage had thrown him for a loop, but that changed nothing. If anything, it pushed him to continue his plan further. He would show all that he was worthy of the throne, even if he still did not want it. He wanted to show his father what he was truly capable of doing, and that he was a rightful son.

He fingered his hidden daggers the whole way back to the throne room where his father lay sleeping peacefully in his own chambers. If everything worked out the way he planned, no one would dare belittle him again.


	20. Chapter 20

20.

Everyone in town seemed to be on edge. The streets weren't as busy as they usually were, and many vendors had already packed up their wares. Dyre frowned and motioned for Markku to follow her past the empty stands towards her home. Her hand paused over the doorknob, almost not wanting to enter. With a deep, calming breath she forced herself to open the door. She saw no one had bothered to clean up the mess of the struggle, apart from removing her father's body from it. A bloodstain still marked the floor, making her look away from it.

She kept her sight forward, flinching at the sound of crunching glass beneath her feet. She went straight to her room and began gathering small things in a satchel she had slung over her shoulder. She found her books, her paints, and a few other odds and ends. She paused and pulled her hand back as she reached her bookshelf and her fingers found an old ring. It had not fit any of her fingers when she received it, and so it had sat on a chain for the longest time. Curious, she took the chain off and slipped it on, finding it fit her ring finger perfectly. A silver flower perched on the band, its petals each an individual sheet of metal. Each petal surrounded an emerald set in the center.

_It had been her birthday. Thor and Loki both came by with their father, each bringing her something to celebrate. They sat off in a corner while Odin and Andren discussed something she couldn't understand at the time. Thor gave her a box, which he insisted she open first. "You'll love it, I'm sure!"_

_Dyre smiled and opened the box, finding a book she had wanted for some time. With a squeal of delight she leaned over and hugged the boy. "Thank you so much, Thor. I'm glad you remembered."_

_To be a charmer, he grasped her hand and kissed the back of it. "Anything for milady." He excused himself to the kitchen where her mother had been preparing sweets for them all._

" _I still have something as well," Loki said quietly. "I was in the market today and I saw this. I thought you'd like it."_

_She took the small box he offered her. "Thank you. You really didn't have to get me anything. You and your brother."_

_He gave a small smile, showing the still crooked teeth of a child. "I wanted to. Thor only wanted to impress you."_

" _And you do not?"_

" _Impressing and pleasing are two different things, so I've heard." He nodded to the box. "Go ahead."_

_She nodded and opened it, her breath catching in her throat. "Oh Loki, it's beautiful." She took the ring out of the box and tried putting it on her finger, but it was too large for her yet. They both gave a small laugh._

" _I didn't think there would be a problem like this."_

" _It isn't a problem at all. I have a chain I can wear it on until it fits." She looked at it and then him. "Really, thank you so much."_

" _I was told girls appreciate jewelry, and I know you don't like gold."_

_She looked at it again and almost laughed at the gem. "It seems there's a bit of both of us in this. Silver and emerald."_

" _I didn't notice that much. And I thought you liked green."_

" _I do. Not as much as you though." She rolled it between her fingers. "We'll keep it a secret, since it has two things we both like in it. Something only we will know about."_

Markku began barking outside, bringing her out of her memory. "I hear you. Hold on a minute." She took one last book before leaving her house, setting her course for the palace once more. She saw the Bifrost activate, and narrowed her eyes. The gate was getting a lot of use those days. Brushing it off as nothing, she turned to her original destination.

"Let's go back, Markku." The shaggy mutt let off a happy yip and ran ahead, making her laugh again. She greeted the guards at the palace entrance and they allowed her to pass without complaint. She exchanged pleasantries with whomever she saw roaming the halls, until she managed to bump into Sif, who looked less than happy. "Good evening, Lady Sif. I hope you are well."

The woman growled in frustration. "Hardly. Thor is gone, Odin is in his Odinsleep, Laufey demands war, and Loki of all people is king of Asgard. What more can happen?" She shook her head with a scowl. "Though I suppose this will bring joy to your life. The man you love has his wish finally."

Dyre frowned at Sif's edged words. "What are you talking about? I do not love him. We have a sort of arrangement." She shrugged. "And if he has the throne, so be it. At least he thinks about his people more than Thor ever did."

Sif sneered at her. "Loki will never be a proper king. Thor is the rightful heir. He may be arrogant, but he still wishes to rule as his father did."

"Then he should take the advice he gives his brother and learn his place." She was caught off guard as Sif backhanded her, and Markku growled at the woman.

Sif stared at her as she held her reddened cheek. "A meager medicine woman has no place to state her opinions on the matter of the royals. I don't care who you're fucking. You would be wise to hold your tongue."

Dyre watched her walk away, still stunned. Markku whined and nosed her hand. She knew Sif had a temper, she just never expected to be on the other end of it. "Let's go back…" She picked up her pace as she turned down the hall for her room. She almost let out a sigh of relief as she entered her safe haven and locked the door behind her. A piece of paper propped up on her nightstand caught her eye and she frowned at it. With cautious motions, she picked it up and read it. _My chambers. Nightfall. Do not keep me waiting._

She looked out her window and saw the sun begin to set on the horizon. A smile tugged at her lips. "Well then. I'm off to see the king."

* * *

Loki looked out over the kingdom, sipping a glass of the wine he had left on his table in the sitting area of his room. The people entered their respective houses for the night as the light left the sky, leaving only the celestial night to illuminate the streets. All was going according to plan so far. He didn't look away as he heard the door open.

"So you've done it?"

"Look to your right and see for yourself." He had left the staff next to the door, knowing he'd need it close by should a situation arise. "Asgard is under my protection." A sweet aroma met his senses, one that he recognized as a scent she wore ages ago. Her silence made him shift his gaze, seeing her fill the second glass full of the white wine. She had acquired a pair of pants from somewhere, and she wore a shirt he recognized as his own, one that he had left in her room one night after someone almost caught them.

"Then I raise my glass to you, King Loki." She stalked over to him, reminding him of a cat stalking its prey. "What is your first order of me?"

He smirked for only a moment before he froze, his gaze on the hand holding her wine glass. "You… still have it?"

She frowned and followed his line of sight. "I do still have it. It finally fits now."

He focused on the ring, remembering just how he had come to find it. And he remembered his brother's teasing words after they left. _"You gave a girl a ring, now you gotta marry her."_

"Should I not have kept it?"

"No. I'm surprised you did." He took her hand to look at the ring closer. "It's so simple."

"I still like it for a few reasons." She shook her head. "Returning to the reason of my being here, you summoned me?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat, forcing the ring from his mind. "I wanted to give you the news, but I see you already know. Who told you?"

"Sif did, right before she slapped me."

A flash of anger coursed through his body. "She did what?"

"I deserved it. She does not approve of you having the throne. She said Thor is the rightful heir. I defended you, and she slapped me. I had forgotten about the fact she lost the man she loves to exile."

"I will have her beheaded."

"No you won't." She held her hand over his chest, fingers splayed against his armor. "Don't give a poor example of yourself within your first few hours. What we have shouldn't influence any of your choices." She toyed with the fastenings to the armor. "Do whatever you can to show you can rule fairly, despite your element."

His anger slowly dissipated and he let out an annoyed sigh. "This won't stop me from doing something in return. Discreetly, of course."

"I expect no less of you." She gave him a coy smile. "Now, what does my king want of me?"

He shivered at the power those words gave him. Even though he knew she would do anything for him regardless of his status, being called her king made him want to dominate her in a way he hadn't before. He wanted her bound beneath him, writhing against her binds as he claimed her over and over again, making her scream for her master. He made his armor disappear and he leaned against the windowsill, a lustful grin claiming his lips. "Kneel before your king."

She finished her wine and did as asked, setting the glass to the side.

"You know what to do." He watched in fascination as she skillfully pulled him from the confines of his pants, a low hiss escaping his lips at her soft touch. Without having to tell her what to do she took him in her mouth, teasing the flesh with her tongue. A soft growl left his throat as she coated him thoroughly and added her hands, twisting and stroking in all the ways that made his head swim. "Mm, that's a good girl." He held on to a fistful of her black locks with one hand and continued enjoying his wine with the other. He moaned as she hit a sweet spot for a moment. "You love sucking your king's dick, don't you?"

She pulled off and placed a slow lick to his shaft, flashing a sly grin up at him. She used her tongue to pull him into her mouth again, making him jerk slightly against her grip.

His hips began matching her strokes, and he let out a long, satisfied groan. He wouldn't last much longer if he allowed her to continue. His grip on both the wine glass and her hair tightened. With a rough tug, he pulled her off him, taking in the confused glance she gave him, her blue eyes glazed over in lust. "Lose your pants, or I'll rip them from you." As she shifted to tug the cloth down, he unfastened the buttons of the jade shirt, letting the fabric fall open around her bare breasts.

Without giving her a warning, he teleported around her. If he hadn't caught her arms, she would have fallen into the stone windowsill. He finally set the empty glass down and held her arms behind her back with one hand. Under his grip, he summoned bindings to keep them in place. He only allowed her to step out of the pants before he shoved her towards the windowsill, making her lean on it for balance. He ran a finger over her slit, chuckling at the moan of pure pleasure she let out. "Filthy girl, you're wet from just sucking my cock?"

"I-I can't help it," she said as he continued his ministrations, leaving her almost breathless.

He pulled on her arms to straighten her and led her to the couch. She knelt facing the furniture and could go no further before he was on her again. At a particularly loud moan, he parted her legs and shoved himself inside with a sharp jerk of his hips. With her arms bound, he held her own hips in place as he slammed against her, not caring if he was hurting her in the slightest. He held on to her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. By the sounds she was making, she was thoroughly enjoying it all. Each stroke made her cry out, increasing his ego. "Call for me Dyre, scream my name. Who is your king? Your master?"

"You! You are my king and master."

"Who do you belong to?"

"You, Loki. I belong to you!"

His grip against her hips tightened as he fought off his release. He didn't want this to end too soon. He pulled out and sat on the couch, and was pleased that she understood what he wanted as she straddled him. "Good girl. Ride my cock; show me how much you need me." He put a hand to her back to keep her steady and used the other to roll a breast in his hand beneath the dangling fabric.

She couldn't do much with how she was bound, but she did what she could. She rolled her hips against him, keeping a fast pace for as long as her legs would allow her. It was a position he normally wouldn't do, but the way she fucked him was something he could not turn away. He leaned his head against the back of the couch, observing the way she mewled with each thrust, watching how her breasts moved with her actions. A long moan left his throat as a grin graced his features. It felt too damn good, but at the same time, it was beginning to slow too much for him. Her legs couldn't take much more, and the slower pace was driving him mad.

When she leaned forward and crashed her lips into his, he almost lost his control. He could feel her tighten around him as her tongue danced with his and she sighed against him. When she pulled back to bite his lower lip, his control snapped.

The hand playing with her breasts moved to cup her ass and he lifted her up with ease. He laid her on the couch and picked up his pace, slamming into her with a ferocious need. He didn't care that her arms were still bound behind her back. It only made her jut her chest towards him, giving him a better sight. He lost count at the amount of times she had climaxed. The only one that mattered was his. Her cries rang in his ears, sending chills of pleasure racing down his spine. Anyone passing by his room would be able to hear them both by now, and he found it more thrilling to know that. He had to clench his teeth as she squeezed too hard, forcing a loud moan to leave him. Now he was certain anyone passing would hear them.

He could tell his limit was coming and he had no way to stop it. She was almost spent as well. He let out a curse and brought himself as close to the edge as he could. He had been going so fast and hard, he had trouble believing he had lasted as long as he did. With his last bit of stamina he pulled out of her warm sheath and spilled onto her stomach, though some managed to stray further. He held on to her legs to keep himself upright while their breathing slowed down. He watched her chest rise and fall and fought the urge to claim her again. He allowed the bindings to dissipate, letting her have use of her arms again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Bifrost activate, and he turned his attention to it. "That's not possible…"

She frowned, not able to see what he was seeing. "What?"

He got up, summoning his armor as he adjusted the clothing beneath. He stepped out onto his balcony and looked in the direction of the Rainbow Bridge. Indeed, the gate had been activated, despite his order to Heimdall to let no one pass as he repaired Thor's damage. "It would seem I have traitors in my kingdom." He called the staff to his hands. "I have duties to attend to."

She sat up, looking for something to clean herself off with. "I know my way back to my room. I'm only down the hall. Fix what you need to fix. You'll know where to find me."

He nodded as he passed her. He gave her a final glance, his gaze traveling to the ring on her finger. "We should replace that some day with something nicer. Perhaps something with a diamond instead." He left her with that, not knowing where the statement came from in his own mind.

* * *

Dyre finally found a towel in his bathroom and wiped herself off, still wondering what he meant by his last words. "Why would a diamond make any difference?" she muttered. As she thought about it, she dropped the towel and stared wide-eyed at her reflection. "He didn't— No, no, you're just being crazy. Drop it and go to your room to sleep. Anything but think of what he could have meant. Nope, Dyre, you're just being a silly woman. Drop it."

However, she found she couldn't drop it, even after she was back in her own room. She laid down and stared at the silver petals encasing the small emerald. Even now she found the ring to be beautiful. Markku whined and rested his head against her arm, drawing her attention to him. She smiled at the brown mutt. "Diamonds are just another gem that mean nothing, right Markku?"

The dog only huffed and licked his lips, settling back down for the night.

She frowned at the dog, and then her ring. "He didn't mean anything. Right?"


	21. Chapter 21

21.

She would not get a chance to ask him what he meant by his statement of replacing her ring with one of a diamond.

A thundering knock sounded on her door, jolting her from her pleasant dreams. Beside her Markku pulled himself upright as well. "Miss Dyre, your presence has been requested in the healing room immediately!" a guard said on the other side of her door.

Her heart leapt in her throat, fearing who had been hurt. She almost jumped out of bed and leaned against the door. "I'm here. Who has been injured?"

"Heimdall has been frozen. His body temperature is far too low. He was encased in ice."

If her heart hadn't been pounding before, it was then. She could think of only one person with the ability to freeze someone in place, however she refused to believe it. There was no way he would do such a thing. Would he? "I'll be there as quick as I can. Have my mother do what she must to keep him stable."

"Understood."

She listened to the guard's retreating footsteps, still not wanting to believe what she had been told. She changed as quickly as she could and raced to the healing room, trying to keep her mind focused on the fact the Gatekeeper was now out of commission to protect the entrance to Asgard. She refused to let the truth sink in. She pushed past the guards and knelt by Heimdall's bedside. She took his pulse, finding his skin still very cold to the touch, despite the amount of blankets her mother had draped over the armored man. "What happened?"

He spoke as she began to heal him, starting with raising his body temperature to normal rates. "I was relieved of my duties by Loki, and so I was given freedom to strike him down. He pulled the Casket of Endless Winters from apparently nowhere." He licked at his lips, relieving them of lack of moisture. "He froze me before I could get close enough. He changed. His appearance became that of a Jotun, completely."

She had paused when he had mentioned his goal was to strike Loki down. "What has he been doing to warrant such an act?" By then the guards had left and her mother was out of earshot. She lowered her voice, urgency edging into her tone. "Please Heimdall, what has he been doing?"

Heimdall flinched as he began regaining feeling in his limbs. "He snuck off to Jotunheim yesterday. When I turned my gaze to him, I couldn't find him. He was blocking me. Why would he go there alone, and not want me to know?"

Her heart thundered against her chest. When Thor had led them to Jotunheim, war had broken loose. That was when there were five of them. Why would he have gone alone in the middle of a declaration of war? And how would he have returned without a scratch? A dry spot formed in her throat. "What happened after you were frozen?"

"The Jotuns came through. Loki led them into the palace. I began hearing Thor calling from Midgard, and I desperately fought against the ice. Two Jotuns stayed behind to watch me. I broke the ice and slew them both. With my last bit of strength I opened the Bifrost to let Thor return. He had the Warriors Three and Lady Sif bring me here." He pulled his hand out from under the blankets, moving his fingers to test their mobility. "Loki lied to him. Told him Odin was dead and that his exile was to never lift. That as king, his first act could not be revoking Odin's last."

Her head went light, her mind screaming against the truth. She didn't want to believe it, for if she did, what else had he lied about? What else had he kept from their lives? Had he been taking advantage of her the whole time, lying to her just like everyone else? She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Where is Thor now?"

A sharp crack echoed throughout the kingdom, forcing Dyre's attention away from her work. She scrambled back to her feet and looked out the singular window of the healing room. From a distance, she could see the end of the Rainbow Bridge shoot sparks as something hammered against it. With one last resounding snap, the gate began to fall away, into the abyss. Eir stood by her side, grasping on to her shoulders. "Dyre, what's happening?"

"I-I don't know."

Heimdall forced himself to his feet. "Thor is destroying the bridge. Loki kept the gate open upon Jotunheim. He intended to wipe it from existence."

Dyre felt her knees weaken and she held on to the windowsill to keep herself upright. "But why? Why would he do such a thing?"

"He is the god of mischief. The second son. There are many reasons why he could have done this, but he was always capable of such a thing." He grabbed his sword. "I thank you for returning my health to me, Miss Dyre." He said no more as he left, not seeing a tear escape her eye.

Eir noticed, however. She pulled at her daughter's shoulders. "Come away from the window."

"Why would he do this?"

Eir pursed her lips, fully aware of Dyre's unconventional relationship. "He was always jealous of Thor. We knew this from the first time he was brought to us. From the first time the boys wanted to befriend you. You weren't aware of it because you were too young to understand, but they fought over you. You saw it as a game, they saw it as a competition. Everything was a competition."

"He… this isn't one of his little pranks. He's in over his head." Her grip on the stone tightened. "I told him to take the throne while Odin was asleep."

"This is not your fault. Heimdall was right; he was always capable of this. That magic is a horrible gift." She clapped her hands over her mouth as she realized whom she said the statement too.

Dyre turned on her, anger obvious in her features. She curled her lip. "You fear what I could become, don't you Mother? You fear I'll be just like him." She let out a harsh laugh, another tear escaping her eyes. "I will be nothing like that backstabber. I will never be like him." She put a hand to her head, feeling lightheaded. "I— Something is wrong."

Eir dropped her hands and held her daughter upright as she stumbled forward. "Dyre? What is it? Tell me."

"I'm dizzy. Tired." She pulled her hand away, gripping it in a fist tightly. "It must be from the magic."

Her mother eyed her warily as she steadied herself. "How long have you felt like this? Tired and having spells."

"This is the first time I've felt dizzy." She looked out the window again, haunted by the missing gateway. "I've been tired for a week now. More than usual." She shook her head, fighting off her desolation. "I need to know what happened. Please, take me to a guard, anyone who can tell me."

Eir took Dyre by the shoulders and forced her on a bed. "You need rest."

"But—"

"Mother knows best." She tossed a blanket over her. "We will find out what happened when the time comes. For now, you need to regain your strength." She bit at her lip subtly. "We will figure out what ails you when you waken."

Dyre tried to fight it, but found no point. "Yes, Mother." She rolled on her side, facing the wall, giving her mother her back. She couldn't bear the thought of her mother seeing her shed tears for a liar.

* * *

Dyre left the welcome home feast, not in the mood for festivities. It was to welcome Thor back into Asgard, and to celebrate Odin's quick awakening. She had seen Thor leave early as well, but chose not to follow him. She had learned everything from him already. His brother had lied from the day of the coronation to everyone. He had brought the Jotuns into the Weapons Vault, he had suggested Thor seek vengeance in their realm. He had planned on Thor being banished from the start as a consequence of his arrogance, to teach his brother a lesson. At the same time, he led Laufey to believe he had a chance to kill Odin.

He did everything to make it seem like he was the rightful son. That he was not just a second born, unfit to rule, unfit to be an Odinson. He had a horrible execution of trying to prove he was a worthy son, but in a way, Dyre could not blame him for everything he did. Everything was in good intentions. Until he tried destroying all of Jotunheim after killing Laufey, his true father.

She also learned he had let go of Odin's staff and fallen into the celestial abyss, leaving all who cared for him to mourn, as meager as that list was. After everything Loki had done, Thor still loved his brother, and Odin still loved his son. Dyre, however, found it difficult to love the man who had lied to her. And who had now left her on her own with a new burden to bear. As much as she tried to fight it though, in her heart she knew better.

She traveled the entire length of the Bifrost alone, watching the bridge illuminate under her feet. She knew a horse would be much faster, but she had nowhere else to go. It took her almost an hour to reach the broken end, letting her mind cycle through her thoughts. She looked to Heimdall, still standing stiff and at attention, staring into the abyss.

"It seems I'm getting a few visitors today," he rumbled.

Dyre nodded and sat beside him, her legs dangling over the jagged edges. "I didn't know where else to go."

"You want to know if he's alive."

She nodded again.

"I cannot say for certain. However, I cannot say for certain that he is dead. His life force is out there, but I cannot see or hear it. In a way, he is alive, but I do not know how."

She swallowed past a dry spot in her throat, keeping her gaze ahead. "Do you think he can ever return?"

"Odin loves both his sons, even though only one is related through blood. Loki's punishment will be severe if he is to return, but he will live." He grinned at her, though she did not look. "He will have to, given your condition."

"If he lives, he will not know." She found her hand resting over her stomach. She didn't bother asking how Heimdall knew when she had only just found out for herself the day prior. The Gatekeeper knew many things, and she supposed her condition was one of those things. "I will not burden him with this."

"He would find out eventually."

"I know. But not right away." She shook her head. "I don't know what to do."

"If he lives, he will deserve to know. At least he will have one good thing to come home to."

"I doubt the news would be something good for him." She hauled herself back so she could stand again. "Thank you for your kind words, Heimdall. And for not judging me for still caring about his well-being."

"Following your heart is not anything to be ashamed of." He put his gaze back to the abyss. "Thor still seeks the well-being of the human he fell for in Midgard. She still searches for him. Love is a strange and powerful thing."

She smiled, hiding it from Heimdall's view. "Very strange indeed." She began her voyage back to the palace, her hand subconsciously resting against her belly again. "Maybe something good will come out of this after all…"


	22. Chapter 22

22.

A soft knock on the healing room doors took Dyre's attention, making her frown and wipe her hands clean of the medicines her mother insisted she make and keep in stock. She smiled broadly when she saw Thor enter, looking a little sore and bruised. She tossed the towel on to the table and leapt to her feet, hugging the man as best she could. She let go immediately as she heard him hiss in slight pain. "I was so worried about you. What happened? Did you find… Did everything go as planned?"

"Mostly. I could do with a little of your healing though. The Chitauri weren't the only ones throwing punches." At her frown, he chuckled. "A teammate still has a little control issue with his powers." His face fell as she proceeded to lay her hands where he pointed, summoning healing energies to her palms. "Someone else will need to be seen."

She felt a wave of sadness take her over. "I can't see him. You know why."

"It's been a year, Dyre. Surely things have changed in your heart."

She pulled away. "Nothing has changed. Even after everything he has done."

"He was being controlled. From the time he came to Midgard and stole the Tesseract, he was controlled. Someone found him and tortured him until he was little more than a shell." He paused, letting her absorb the information. "Black Widow said it was cognitive recalibration that made him agree to come home without more of a fight. Hulk… Dr. Banner, he hurt him pretty badly."

"Loki is capable of healing himself. He does not need me to—"

"His powers have been sealed since we captured him. He cannot heal himself. He cannot do anything." He put a hand on her shoulder. "He should see you after everything that's happened. And I believe you have something to tell him."

She shrugged out of his grip. "I have nothing to tell him."

He pulled back at her snap. "Dyre. At least do this for me. I know what it is like knowing you cannot see the one you love. The only thing holding you back is your will."

"You don't understand." They grew quiet for a moment, and she was grateful Thor did not push the statement further. It was her duty as a healer to tend to the injured. She could not turn away anyone who was hurt. With a shaky sigh, she turned and nodded. "I'll see to his wounds. Take me to him."

* * *

She gripped her supplies tight in her hands, attempting to steady her nerves. She could have healed him in minutes with her powers, but she didn't want their meeting to end so soon. She also didn't want to invoke any of his anger at her ability to still use her magic. Thor led her to a cell in the back of the dungeon, fully enclosed by steel. Two guards stood watch outside. They saluted the instant they saw Thor arriving.

"I've brought the healer to tend to his injuries."

The guards nodded and unlocked the door. Dyre flinched at the resonating sound, feeling it crash into her very soul. She found her feet and strode forward, casting her gaze downward. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. The door closed behind her, and she realized she was alone. Thor had not followed her as she had expected.

"Dyre?"

With great effort, she looked ahead, seeing her former lover for the first time in a year. He hadn't changed much. His hair was longer, disheveled from battle, and it looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. She frowned. "You look like you were hit with a truck."

Despite his injuries he laughed and winced. "A Hulk, but close enough. He knocked a few screws back into place, at least."

As much as she didn't want to, she smiled. "I'm glad to hear that." Her smile faded, as did his. "You lied to me, you know. You promised you wouldn't."

He flinched, this time not from the injuries. "I had to. You would have stopped me."

"Of course I would have. Why did you have to try and prove your worth?"

He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. It's too far in the past regardless." He motioned to his face, his shackles clinking against each other. "Do you mind? It hurts quite a bit."

She rolled her eyes but moved to kneel before him, gathering a bottle of salve to prevent infection. "You're a prat, I hope you know."

"I know." He hissed at the salve as it burned the cuts when she applied it. "Can't you seal it up like I taught you?"

"You wouldn't suffer then." She continued on, a thought tumbling in her head. She didn't want to say it, didn't want him to know what he had left her alone with. The words sat on her tongue, but she held them at bay. He had gone quiet, almost as if she had slapped him herself. She wanted to. After everything he had done, willing or not, he deserved more than just a slap to the face. He deserved to hurt just as she had. Before she could stop the words, they spilled out of her mouth. "You were to be a father."

She could see the shock in his eyes and felt him stiffen under her ministrations. "What?"

She bit her cheek and decided to tell him the rest while she moved on to a few visible scrapes under his clothing. "You were. It wasn't to be, however."

He was silent for a moment, and she let him digest what she had said. "What happened?"

"I couldn't bring it to term. I'm not sure why. Mother isn't sure either." She found herself stroking his skin more than putting the salve on his wounds. She shook her head and moved on. "After awhile, I thought it best. I couldn't have that sort of memory running about."

He turned his eyes away, staying as still as he could so she could continue. As she began loosening his clothes to look for more gashes, almost believing he was through talking to her, he finally spoke. "I hadn't realized how badly I hurt you, if you didn't even want to bear my offspring."

"That's the problem with you; you don't realize many things outside of your own bubble." She pushed her hair over her shoulder once she had his shirt opened and found a multitude of small cuts over his torso, though the skin was mainly bruised in a few areas. "Everything is about you, no one else. If you cannot get something out of it, you will not help." She kept her gaze off of his. "That's why you slept with me for so long, isn't it?"

He took in a deep breath as she passed over one of the deeper gashes. "Actually, no, it wasn't. I gained something, yes, but for once, it was a selfless act on my part."

She scoffed. "And I should believe that why?"

"I…" He frowned. "I can see how it would be hard to believe. I did care for you though when we were children, which is why it was selfless. I do still care for you, very much so."

She shook her head, fighting against the sting in her eyes. "Caring isn't enough anymore, Loki. I almost had your—" She swallowed, the fingers applying the salve clenching into a fist so she could feel the bite of her nails and bring her a sense of reality. Once she knew her tone was calm again, she resumed her work. "A year ago, you left me wondering what you really meant by replacing my ring. Why would you say a thing like that?"

"I only meant a nicer one would look better on you. I still think so. And… I meant for something else. However, I don't think that option is available anymore."

She went quiet and stood, wiping the salve off on a rag. "I need to see your back."

She was surprised to see worry flash over his vision. "My back is fine."

"Oh? From what I understand, Hulk turned you into a rag doll and smashed your back through the ground. As much as I would have loved to see that, I need to look at your back."

He hesitated but stood as well, turning around for her while letting the shirt drop from his shoulders.

His hesitation showed her exactly why he did not want to turn. Her heart dropped. "What on Asgard happened to you?" Old scars lined his back, white whiplash marks prominent against his pale skin.

"I'm sure you were told I was tortured for almost a year. Things happen."

Now she felt horrible for not properly healing him, for bringing up their unborn child that never had a chance to develop life, for intentionally wanting him to suffer longer. "Who did this…?"

"A creature I hope you never will have to meet, and whom I hope will never find me."

She tentatively touched the raised skin, running her fingers gently down the side of his spine. "I'm so sorry."

"What for?"

"Wanting to make you suffer. I hadn't realized." She gently turned him around by his shoulder, ignoring the fresh bruises left on his back. She hesitantly reached up and put a finger to one of the cuts on his face, summoning healing magic to the digit. Within seconds it was gone. She repeated the actions, lingering over his skin at each gash and bruise she healed.

He remained silent the entire time, gooseflesh erupting over his skin while she lingered. She felt so selfish, so cruel at what she wanted him to do. She hadn't known what he had gone through over the year. Torture…

"How are your legs?"

"Bruised, but should be fine."

She bit her lower lip. "I shouldn't have told you about what happened. You didn't need to know anything happened while you were gone."

"I deserved it. You're right, I am a prat."

"I didn't mean that either."

"But you are right. I should have told you." He caught her eye and they both shared the same thought. "We can never go back, can we?"

She shook her head, a tear finally escaping. "No, we can't. I'm not sure if we should even try." She put away her salve, trying to distract herself. She heard the chains of his shackles stop behind her.

"If it makes any difference, I did love you."

Before she could stop it, another tear fell. "Stop. Just stop." She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "If you say that, I'll want to believe you with everything I am."

"For once in a long time, I'm telling the truth." She turned to face him, seeing the severity in his features. "If I am released, and I am to leave Asgard, will you come with me?"

Her heart skipped a beat. "Why?"

He grinned. "I can see it. You've been developing your magic the past year, and not in the healing arts. You've been causing mischief in my absence, haven't you?"

She frowned, not sure how he could tell. "How did you know?"

"You struggled with your magic before you healed me. It is something you're probably so used to you didn't even notice. It happens when you use another form of magic for long lengths of time." He shrugged and moved around her to sit on the cot provided for him. "In that sense, if I have to leave, or if I choose to leave out of my own free will, will you come with me?"

She laughed, hardly able to believe him. "Look at how much trouble you're in for what you've done. And you want to start it up again once you leave?"

"It is in my nature to cause all sorts of chaos. I cannot avoid it. However, it would make it all the more interesting to have someone at my side helping with it." He fixed his shirt, putting the bindings back in place. "What do you say?"

She only stared at him, still shocked he could tell she had been causing trouble in his absence. It had been her way of coping with everything, his leaving, her miscarriage, people avoiding her for her relationship. The more she thought about the offer, the better it seemed. There wasn't much of a life left for her in Asgard. She despised the idea of spending the rest of her life in the healing room with her mother. After a few minutes of deliberation she looked to him and nodded. "If you end up leaving, I will leave with you."

The grin returned. "We have a deal then." She hadn't realized how close she had gotten until he used his hands to press against the back of her knees, making her loose her balance and fall forward, using his shoulders for stability as her legs rested on the sides of his. "Should we seal it like old times?"

She found that, no matter what he had done to her, or to anyone else, she could not avoid his charm. If he was to look after only one person other than himself, she was fine with his choice. She held up a finger. "On one condition."

His head rolled back with a groan, though he let his shackled hands run down under her thighs, keeping her balanced. "You and your damned conditions. What is it?"

"You stay honest with me. I mean it this time. If not, I turn around and come straight back and leave you on your own." She tightened her grip on his shoulders. "I don't care what your plans are anymore. If you truly want to rule over the Nine Realms, so be it. I don't give much of a damn about them all."

He chuckled. "I see I've corrupted you, haven't I?"

"You started it. I continued it." She checked herself, realizing how much time she had spent with him. "We don't exactly have time to seal it like we used to. Not completely."

"I'll settle for whatever you're willing to give a villain."

She hesitated, wondering if it was what she really wanted. Did she want to become one of Thor's enemies? No, not his enemy, nor an enemy to Odin or her mother. She didn't want that. But at the same time, she didn't believe anyone else deserved their happy lives. She supposed a multitude of things led her to her final choice. She leaned forward and caught his lips with hers. The instant their skin met, a heat flashed over her body, and they both put a year's worth of longing into the action. She wanted nothing more than to pin him down and work off their lust in other ways, or have him hold her down and have his way with her, but time forbade it. She gently put her hands to his face, trying to pull him closer as their lips parted, allowing his tongue to dance in her mouth, sending her head reeling. A knock on the door from the guards made them pull apart, gasping for breath.

"Dyre? It's time to return," Thor's voice said on the other side of the door.

She rested her forehead to his, not wanting to leave. "How will I know you've decided to leave Asgard?"

"I'll find you. It isn't like your have much of a life here to have trouble locating you," he muttered, grinning as she groaned in frustration.

"Must you remind me I have nothing here? I've already decided to leave if the option is there." She reluctantly got up. "Don't keep me waiting again."

He arched a brow. "Giving me orders?" He grabbed her arm and lowered her to whisper in her ear, "Don't forget who your master is."

She felt a shiver run down her spine as he allowed her to straighten and leave. Before she raised her hand to knock on the door to be released, she said, "You are my master." The last thing she saw of him was a satisfied grin as she left the cell.

* * *

"You gave me plentiful amount of time in there. I wonder why that is."

Thor only smiled as he continued walking. "I don't know what you mean. He was pretty damaged on Midgard. I only assumed it would take some time to heal."

She scoffed. "Now you're lying. You know it doesn't take much time to heal gashes and cuts like those with my magic." She bumped into his arm, a smile playing on her lips. "Thank you."

"I thought with everything you had been through the past year, you needed something good in your life." His smile faded. "I was looking forward to being an uncle."

"Really, it was for the best. It made me realize I'm not ready to be a mother. Not for awhile."

He waited a moment, letting them walk awhile in silence before he brought up his next question. "Did he talk to you? Civilly, I mean."

She narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Why? Is he still not speaking with you?"

"Oh, no he is. Just not more than words filled with spite." He turned his gaze away from her. "I fear life will never be the same with him for my father and I. I cannot lay blame anywhere besides our actions, however. We should have treated him better as we were growing. I especially should have."

She bit her tongue at a snide remark, remembering that it was only through Thor's kindness that she was able to see Loki again.

"I never knew he was a Frost Giant, but I still treated him badly because I was older. I knew I would be the one to gain the throne, and he was to remain a prince the rest of his life. In that, as a stubborn child, I treated him as such." He shook his head. "If I knew then what I know now, things would be different."

"Would they?" she asked quietly. "Children can be cruel. If you knew he was a Jotun growing up, I think you would have treated him worse for not being Asgardian. That is why Odin kept it from everyone, isn't it? To try and prevent him from being outcast?"

Thor sighed. "I suppose that is true. It's a shame, really. At least he has you. I don't think you ever treated him differently."

"Once I started talking to him alone, I realized he had a lot of intelligent and interesting conversations. He was shy, probably due to everything beforehand. I'm not sure why, but… I suppose this is how it was meant to play out." She shrugged. "As the healer's daughter, I was taught to help everyone. I think that's why I never saw a reason to treat him differently."

Thor laughed and clapped her gently on the shoulder. "Now I know who to turn to if he's being an insufferable ass."

She held up her hands. "I don't know about that. I can talk to him, but it doesn't mean he'll listen. I can't tell him what to do. It isn't right."

He frowned. "But he can tell you what to do?"

"Ah, that's in an entirely different situation than just talking," she said, feeling her cheeks start to burn, making the thunder god laugh again.

"I won't pry into my brother's personal life."

She nodded, a new thought burrowing into her mind. "What of the Tesseract?"

"It is hidden in a location known only to my father. He said he will take the secret to his grave, so no one can find it. It is pure energy, so it cannot be destroyed. A thing like that, as we've seen, cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands yet again."

They stopped as they reached the healing room. "Again, I thank you for letting me see him. You could have easily asked for my mother to help."

"Now that would have been the cruelest thing for me to do." He inclined his head. "Until the next time I see you."

She did the same and entered the room, depositing her supplies on the round table in the center. She looked out the single window, frowning at the people below. She curled her lip at them as they flitted about, their lives at ease. She saw a couple walk down the street, shoulder to shoulder, and she looked away. She wasn't sure when her life had made such a turn. She hadn't been overly fond of her patients, or her fellow people for a very long time. She only recently realized the less than fond feelings were growing. With the flick of her wrist and a passing thought, she sent her magic towards the couple, and she grinned as the woman tripped over apparently nothing, taking her lover down with her into a tomato stand.

In a way, she valued the abilities that had come from dire stress years ago. She was still nowhere near a master of her abilities, since she did not know her limits, but she had made a lot of progress. In that moment she solidified her decision to leave if the option presented itself. There was nothing in Asgard for her any longer. It was time to leave.

* * *

In his cell, Loki chuckled to himself, not surprised at how easily she had given in to his request. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring he had snagged off the streets of New York before he returned. The woman it belonged to must have been with a man who had money. Or another woman, even. He rolled it between his fingers, seeing the gem catch in the light. He found the thought of her as an apprentice appealing, and loved the fact she continued using her magic in his absence instead of snuffing it out. What was more enticing was the fact she was using it for mischief in her boredom. Small things most likely, but she would learn, given the chance.

He grasped the ring in his palm tightly, feeling the metal bite into his skin. He hadn't lied to her; he did want her to leave with him if he ultimately decided to leave. He just left out a few minor details of what he would like to do once they were gone. He put the ring back into his pocket and laughed quietly. "All according to plan."


	23. Get Yourself a Bad Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The following chapters are one shots to fill in time between Thor 1 and 2.

**Get Yourself a Bad Boy**

"Have you restocked the bandages?"

Dyre clenched her jaws together, biting back a snarky comment while she paused in cutting herbs. "Yes, Mother." Silence met her ears, allowing her to resume her work. She slammed her knife against the table in a harder chop as Eir's voice rang out again.

"What of the vials? Have you cleaned them?"

"Yes, Mother." Her chops became sharp and short.

"And the scalpels?"

The knife slipped and she nicked her skin. She pulled away, dropping the knife with a curse as her growing impatience hit its peak.

"Dyre?" Eir stuck her head out of her adjoining room. "The scalpels?"

Dyre hid her bleeding finger under the table. "Washed and dried. All supplies are restocked and cleaned. Herbs are chopped and ready to be made into medicine." Under the table she ran her opposite hand over the gash and slowly closed the wound.

Eir frowned and Dyre knew her mother could understand her tone. "You're becoming terse. What has you so impatient and short tempered?"

Dyre bit her tongue, not wanting to tell her mother the true reason she was irritable. She had been cut off from her outlet for sex for over a week while he was hunting with his brother. "I haven't noticed a change," she lied, flexing the newly mended digit below the table. "I apologize if I've been short with you."

Her lips thinned in worry. "You can talk to me, Dyre."

"I honestly do not know what is wrong." She wiped the blood on her black dress and stood. "If you don't mind, I will retire for the night."

Eir sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm old, Dyre, not blind. I see the looks you give him. The looks he gives you when he thinks no one is watching. I know what is going on."

She felt her nerves flash but her face remained neutral. "I don't know who you mean." A knock on the double doors interrupted her mother and Dyre had never felt so grateful for a patient. She rushed over to the barriers and opened them, feeling her heart skip a beat entirely.

On the other side, a battered and bruised Loki stood, four long gashes slashed across his chest through his broken armor. "I hope it isn't too late."

She let out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding. "What on Asgard happened?" Regardless, she moved aside and let him in, looking at his disheveled features. A sleeve was torn on his jacket and more gashes shined in the high light of the candles. Beyond him, she saw her mother give her a reproachful look, but retired to her room nevertheless. To Dyre's surprise, she felt no guilt in her mother's actions. She turned her attention back to Loki who had seated himself on one of the empty beds.

"We were attacked by a pack of wolves on the way back. Beasts must have smelled the boar we hunted."

She glanced at the door. "Where are the others?"

"They did not have a lapse in judgment as I did. I used daggers when I should have phase shifted."

She shook her head and chuckled. "Shirt off then. Let me see the extent of the damage."

Despite his visible injuries, he made a sound similar to a purr. "With your mother in the other room? Naughty girl."

"If you weren't injured I'd slap you a few times. Don't tease." She cleared the round center table of her chopped herbs while he did as asked, placing the herbs into their proper jars. When she turned around, her breath caught in her throat as she watched his lean muscles ripple while he pulled the shirt off his shoulders. She shook her head and swallowed, focusing on the bloody gashes. "Can't you heal yourself?"

He smirked. "Where's the fun in that when you have a better talent with healing?"

She returned the gesture. "Prat. What if you were to bleed out on your way?"

"If the wounds were life threatening it would be a different story entirely." He gestured to the injuries. "Do you mind?"

Without a word she stood in front of him and took his arm, summoning healing energies to her hand. She lingered over his skin after the wounds were healed and all that remained was dried blood. She trailed her fingers up his arm and down his chest, a small smile gracing her features as she saw gooseflesh rise under her touch. Within moments the four cuts were closed, though she kept her hands in place.

He cleared his throat. "I see you've been keeping busy the past week."

She rolled her eyes and took her hands back. "Mother's been making sure of that. She's been keeping me so busy, asking me questions every few minutes to remind me to do things I've already done." She collapsed into the bed adjacent to him, her left leg propped up and exposed from a slit in her dress "I need a vacation."

"I may be able to use my infamous silver tongue to get us out of here for a small amount of time."

She grinned as he got up to kneel over her body and slid her arms up around his neck. "Why don't you show me what else your infamous silver tongue can do?"

He let a breath of a laugh out of his nose. "I return for barely more than a half hour and you already want me in your bed?"

"I've wanted you in my bed for a few days now."

He chuckled and ran his hand up her exposed leg, trailing his fingers down her thigh. "I missed you too." He ignored the budding warmth that spread in his chest and ran his tongue over her throat. He brushed it off as lust as he pressed his lips to hers. He heard her take in a sharp breath through her nose and felt her arch her back, pressing her chest to his.

She shifted her lips open, wanting to feel as much of him as possible. He greedily accepted the invitation and he groaned against her skin. It may have only been a week, but to her, it felt like forever. She forced down her emotions that refused to be locked away. She had known the truth for awhile, but given their arrangement, the emotions could ruin it, despite what he had said after Malak's trial.

He felt his control slip and he knew he would have to stop too soon. He was still surprised at how easily she could make him forget himself, forget his problems. Her hands slid down his throat and rested against his bare chest, tracing the contours of his skin. With a mental curse he pulled away, letting them realize how short of breath they were.

She pouted and ran her bare leg over his. "I thought you were to show me everything your silver tongue could do."

He chuckled and gave her a shorter kiss. "I will when the time is right, my temptress. I've no desire to be caught by your mother in the middle of making you scream for me."

She sighed but allowed him to get up to redress himself. "Valid point aside, how would we get out? And where would we even go? You hate Midgard, and not many other worlds are as interesting in their cultures."

"I don't hate Midgard. I hate the inhabitants." He paused in adjusting his leathers, a sly grin sneaking on his face. "I have just the idea that could make this interesting."

She arched a brow and crossed her arms, letting her bell sleeves fall over her belly. "Would you like to tell me what would make it interesting?"

"Wouldn't be a surprise if I did. Gather a few things and be ready to leave within the hour. Leave a note for your mother."

"Could you be any more vague?"

"I could be, but then you wouldn't be properly prepared. Nice things that would be acceptable on that miserable planet."

She narrowed her eyes as she watched him leave for the door. "What are you playing at?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Hours later, Dyre found herself pleasantly tipsy on the dance floor of a club off the side of a beach, blending in fantastically with the humans. She had found nothing she could use in her closet, and so insisted she be taught how to shift her clothes with magic.

While she learned, she was happy they had been in her room, due to her first attempt leaving her entirely topless, which delayed their departure quite a bit.

After she got the hang of it, she shifted her clothes to a pair of jeans and a black halter top that zipped together in the front. The top also delayed their departure longer, since he insisted on "testing the zipper to make sure it worked properly".

She swayed her hips in time to the music, not caring that the music was more deafening than she was used to back home. The beat was interesting, and they played all sorts of varieties. She tensed for only a moment as a set of hands held on to her hips. A quick glance over her shoulder made her relax and smile.

"Have I told you how fantastic your ass looks tonight?" he muttered in her ear.

"You did now. And before we left Asgard." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Though you were also saying a few other things while we were… engaged in other activities." She shivered at his laugh as he pressed against her.

"You can say what it is. Or are you still an innocent little girl, afraid to curse outside the bedroom?" He discreetly bit at her ear, making the shiver erupt again. "I remember you swearing quite a bit as I claimed you for my own."

"Mm, do you? You were swearing just as much as I rode you." She grinned as he growled and pressed his lips to her neck. "I think you like it when I fuck you, don't you?"

He gave her a sharp bite in response, but kept the actions minimal. "Woman, if you don't stop, I'll claim you right on this floor."

"There's a matter of the humans around us, however."

"I think the population can be thinned slightly, don't you?"

She placed her hands on his and lifted them from her hips so she could turn to look at him. He had taken the simple route and chose slacks with a button up shirt. She glanced beyond him and saw a few women looking their way, an obvious gaze of lust gracing their features. One even curled her tongue around the straw of her drink in case Loki would turn around to see her. Dyre arched a brow and felt a strange urge to lay claim to what was hers. "I'm starting to agree with you, in a way."

He followed her line of sight, and saw the same woman wink. He curled his lip. "Lie with a human woman? How repulsive." He turned his attention back to her and nodded to the second floor. "Let's get away from here."

On their way to the stairs, Dyre pointed to the woman now giggling with her friends. With a small effort of will, she made the woman's drink tip forward over her white shirt, immediately soaking it through.

"That was completely uncalled for," he said, though laughed regardless.

She looked to the stage, seeing a man operate a laptop. A grin graced her features. "Oh I haven't even started." She leaned against the railing and sipped her drink, finding herself longing for the potent liquor hiding in the room they had reserved. A few sips had put her in a better mood, and the Midgardian alcohol was keeping her buzz around.

He leaned against the railing next to her. "What do you see?"

She scanned the crowd, looking for victims that deserved chaos. A drunk man stumbled through the people, looking for a way to score for the night. He didn't appear to take hints very well. With a grin, Dyre made the man's drink spill over the current woman he was talking to, and she head the satisfactory shriek of the woman. Dyre purred as Loki pressed against her, his hands gripping the railing beside hers.

"Do you know how sexy it is when you ruin someone's night?" He watched with a satisfied smirk as the woman smacked the drunk and stormed off. "Though I believe it's my turn." He found his next target, but hesitated for a moment. "Don't slap me for this one."

She only looked on in interest as a woman who had stepped up to a stripper pole started trying her metal. She wasn't bad, but she wasn't good either. Dyre started laughing as Loki's magic made the woman's top untie, and the woman, already drunk, flailed trying to catch it. In her attempt, her grip on the pole wavered and she managed to fall right off the stage. The resounding gasp that filled the club made Dyre laugh harder. "Fine, you win. You're still the master prankster."

"Is that all I'm the master of?" he said, curling his tongue around her ear, making her shiver. He felt her jump as his fingers pressed against the front of her jeans, hidden from the lower level by the solid barrier in front of them.

"Mm, not exactly." It didn't slip her notice as the current song faded into another, finding it humorous as she listened to the lyrics. _"If you want it to be good, girl, get yourself a bad boy…"_ She gasped as he hit a particularly sweet spot and covered his hand with hers. "Loki, someone will see."

"And I'll kill them if they say anything." With discreet skill, he loosened her jeans just enough to slip his fingers below the fabric, loving her hiss of pleasure. "Now, what else am I the master of, Pet?"

She was grateful the majority of the house lights were focused on the dance floor below, leaving the second level fairly dark. And the way he stood possessively behind her blocked the view of anyone on their sides. The rush of knowing they could still be caught heightened her pleasure, making her lean forward against the railing as his fingers circled around her clit. "Me. You are my master."

"Am I?" He leaned against her, pushing his fingers inside her to coat them properly. He pulled them out again to resume his circling strokes. "Then your master commands you to cause more mischief. Give the humans hell."

She found it hard to focus on more than his motions and wanted nothing more than to leave the club to the privacy of their room. She wanted him on her, thrusting against her until they could both bear it no longer. She almost whimpered as he stopped. "Loki…"

"Do as I say."

She bit her lip as he started again, testing her focus. She needed something more than a spilled drink or a wardrobe malfunction. She smirked as she saw another woman approach the stripper pole and hop on it drunkenly. She pointed her finger at it and waited for the woman to enter a spin. With a single thought, all the supportive screws holding it in place vanished, and with the force of the spin, the woman and the pole both went flying into the waiting crowd with a shriek. To please him further, she reached behind her and put pressure to the bulge in his slacks, feeling him press against her hand. "I did well?"

"You did very well, Love." He quickened his finger's strokes, making her knees buckle. He traced her jawline and her lips with his free hand, and a shock of pleasure coursed through his body as she took the fingers in her mouth and sucked on them as if they were another part of his body. Her tongue rolled around the digits and her lips vibrated as she closed in on her peek. His breath hitched in his throat as his head went light, unsure of what to do. He looked to see if anyone had noticed. If they had, they didn't keep looking. For now, attention was on the fallen woman who had been hurt a bit more than originally thought. He clenched his jaw and moaned, pressing against her hand to relieve the growing pressure as she nipped his fingers playfully. "I can tell you want something else in your mouth, don't you Dyre?"

She nodded and rolled her tongue around again, running it up a single digit. The coil he had been creating in her belly tightened and she clenched her eyes shut, grasping on to the bulge in his pants. She heard his groan of pure pleasure.

He could tell she was getting close by how her hips were trying to match his pace. He pulled his fingers from her lips and covered her mouth with his palm. "Don't hold back," he muttered into her ear. Not a second more her hips jerked away from his fingers and she let out a muffled scream no one else could hear due to the music and his hand. He refused to stop stroking her clit and fought to keep her in place until he knew she could bear no more. He kissed her neck and pulled his fingers from her pants, feeling her attempt to catch her breath. The warmth from before returned, and he knew he couldn't keep lying to himself. He couldn't continue brushing it off as lust. It was there every time he looked at her. He had said months ago love would change nothing in their agreement, but he didn't want to risk it. What they had was too good, and he needed it. To everyone else, he was a mischievous prince who needed to learn his place. To her, he was more than that. He was a lover, a friend, a protector. She would listen to him when he needed to be heard, when things would become unbearable with his brother. She would soothe him, calm him down. Would she still do what she did if he felt more than lust for her?

"Loki? You're quiet. Is everything alright?"

He cleared his throat and stood straight. "Yes, everything is fine. I could use some air though." He offered his arm and led her out of the club, ignoring the nagging thoughts in the back of his mind.

* * *

Dyre took the bottle of Asgardian Amber when it was offered to her, and she felt her head spinning. She let out a snorting laugh as a thought passed through her cloudy mind.

"What do you find so amusing?" Loki responded, well past his own limits for handling the liquor.

"I only glanced down and saw a pair walking in the sand."

He frowned and narrowed his eyes into the dark, peering off their balcony to where she was looking before. "Ah yes. I see them. What is amusing about them?"

"I only wondered… ah, it was a silly thought."

He made a grabbing motion in the air between them after she took another sip. "I thought one of our agreements was to share what was on our minds, no matter how trivial."

"You'll find me stupid."

He took some more of the liquor in. "I might. I can't tell you for sure what I'll think if I've no idea what you're talking about."

"I was only wondering what it would be like to have something like that. Something that wasn't just sex." The alcohol made the words flow past her usual filter, and she had no desire to stop them. She chanced a glance to him, seeing him tap the neck of the bottle against his lower lip in thought, keeping his gaze on the moonlit surf. "I know the terms were no strings attached. However, it doesn't seem like my heart wants to cooperate." She fell silent as she kept her gaze on the couple below, her heart sinking as she watched the man pick his woman up and spin her around, listening to her shriek in surprise and laugh. The couple fell back into the sand and from the looks of it where Dyre was sitting, they had begun one of those romantic kisses she saw in a few movies when they were hiding in Midgard.

He still remained silent, as if deep in thought. She almost wondered if he had heard her at all. Bitterness edged its way into her drunken stupor. She saw the bottle tilt back again out of the corner of her eye, but she said nothing more, only reached for it. When he handed it to her, she took more than a few sips at a time.

He only looked on as she winced at the burning sensation of the Amber. He stared at the bottle, seeing almost a third of it gone. They had started the trip with a full bottle. Without a word he took it back and replaced the cork.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't look up. "Why are you sorry?"

"For breaking our rules. This was to just be sex and minimal companionship, nothing more. I shouldn't have said anything." She rose to her feet, gripping on to the railing of their balcony to find her balance. She looked back to the couple, seeing them still lying on the beach in their embrace. She sent her power towards the ocean, summoning a large wave to wash over them. The intimacy was making her sicker than the alcohol was. She turned to him again, seeing him still look off to the surf, though instead of the bottle, he had his thumb placed to his teeth in thought. "I'll understand if you want this to end." She moved to go back inside, though he put his arm out to stop her, grabbing on to her wrist.

In one swift motion he brought her to his lap, holding her firmly in place. Just as quickly he pulled her face to his, crashing his lips with hers. He had known for some time that she was not able to keep to their agreement. Even so, even after they both said they did not love each other, he still let her close. Too close, it seemed. He had cared for her in the past, he wouldn't deny it, but he had no love for her then. If what she had said was true, it would have been the same for her. He reached between them for the zipper to her halter top, not breaking their kiss. Instead, she intensified it and frantically tore at his shirt, popping the buttons clean off. Once the zipper was down he tugged it off her and let it fall to the ground as he met her pace, taking a deep pull of air through his nose as to not end their connection. He regretfully pulled away, letting them catch their breath. He put his forehead to hers, his chest heaving as his lungs filled with air again. "I don't want this to end. I broke our rules as well."

She pulled back to look at him. "What do you mean?"

He gave her a small smile. "I mean we've both complicated our agreement with keeping emotions out of it. We made the rule knowing it would be broken regardless."

She frowned, but then realization hit her. "You mean you—?"

"Yes. But it can go no further than us. I doubt anyone would understand as it is. They don't understand it now."

She looked away, rubbing at her now bare arms. "Mother knows. She does not agree with it."

"And how would she know?"

"Apparently we are not as crafty as we think with stealing glances." She played with the edges of his shirt, slipping under the folds to feel his skin. "So what happens now?"

"Nothing changes." He picked her up, letting her squeak in surprise as he took her back inside their rented room. He deposited her on the bed and knelt over her, pinning her figure down. "Though I hear the sex is more amazing when love is introduced."

She was surprised with how sober she felt after hearing what he told her. Her smile faded. "We're both drunk though. How can I know you're telling the truth?"

"We'll have to see if what they say is true." He loosened her jeans and pulled them off her body, leaving her bare for him.

Without a word she shifted to her knees and did the same for him, slipping the ruined shirt off his shoulders first. As she stared at his lean figure, she realized it had been a long time since she saw him fully naked. Recently they had to steal time away from their lives to just have the smallest time alone, which usually meant unzipped pants and hiked up dresses.

He started up their kiss again, slowly lowering her to her back, hovering over her to keep his weight off her form. He felt her leg ride up his side and rest over his own, making him hiss as it opened herself to him. If he wanted to he could have taken her easily in their position, but he held off, wanting to take it slow. He wasn't sure if it was due to the alcohol, or if it was his sober mind that had made him confess, but he wanted nothing more than to prove he wasn't lying to her. He groaned against her lips, stroking her tongue with his, eliciting a moan from her. The intensity grew again, making his head swim despite his inebriation. He drew in a hissing breath as her hands took hold of his harder self, stroking just how he had taught her to do. "You won't make this easy, will you?"

She shook her head, smirking as his head lowered to latch on to the skin of her throat, hearing the muffled moans and gasps as she played with him. She didn't want it to be easy; there was no fun in it. She loved being the source of his pleasure, the reason why he was able to lose himself completely. She bit her lip as he let out a curse, his expression strained as he held back his release. She loosened her grip and felt him buck his hips out of reflex against her, trying to relieve the pressure she built between his legs.

The instant she let go of him he trailed his lips down her body, pressing against her skin every so often. He spread her legs, kissing the inside of her thigh to tease her. Without a word he trailed his tongue over her slit, feeling for her clit. He knew he found it when she mewled softly and wound her fingers in his hair. He held her folds open and lavished his prize, wanting to hear her cry out for him. He knew she wouldn't scream just yet; that would come later. For now he was content with her moans, and by the way she twitched her hips against him. He held her down, his tongue relentless against her. He couldn't take the pressure of his own body much longer, but he refused to take her without giving her pleasure first.

She was reaching her peek, unable to hold it off. Without warning her head tilted back and her body twitched out of her control, a long, satisfied cry escaping her lips. Even so, he didn't stop. He wanted to draw it out as long as she could bear it.

He replaced his tongue with his fingers, quickening his pace, sending her immediately over the edge again. He couldn't wait. It had only been a few hours since they were together last, but it was still nothing like it was now. Then he had only wanted her, turned on by her exposed skin. Now he needed her. He felt as if he couldn't be inside her, he would break. He knelt over her again and held himself at her entrance. He met her gaze as she nodded, the only invitation he ever needed. Her walls were still tight from her orgasm, making it difficult to slip inside the first try. He pushed a few times, getting deeper each time, coating more of himself with her juices.

She gasped at each push and reached to the hand he had placed over her head, locking their fingers together as he filled her past her breaking point. She closed her eyes, focusing only on where they were connected. He was moving much slower than normal, and for the first time, she was grateful for it.

He saw her keep her eyes closed, and he bent forward to claim her lips again for only a moment. He hissed as she tightened around him, and he cursed the talent she had learned over the months. "Dyre, look at me." He gently held her face until she opened her eyes to him. His breath caught in his throat for only a moment as he saw her blue eyes shine with unshed tears. "I want you to look at me. I need to see you."

She raised her hips for him as he slid his hands under her thighs, lifting her up for more depth. Her nails bit into his back as he hit a sweet spot, sending her head reeling. As soon as one orgasm began to fade, another took its place. She held on to his neck, running her hands through his hair as he kissed whatever part of her he could reach, moaning and sighing against her skin.

He clenched his teeth and pulled his lips back as she squeezed too tight, making him check his pace. He couldn't let it end so soon. He didn't want to fuck her. He wanted, for the first time, to love her. She moved against him as well, and he groaned as her nails ran down his back again, causing his hips to give a sharp jerk out of instinct, hearing her gasp and moan his name. He let out a long curse and held still, regaining his control. The alcohol took over for a moment, making him forget their positions. "Tell me you love me."

"Mm, I do." She placed a soft kiss to his lips, and another. "I love you, Loki."

He couldn't hold back any longer. His grip on her thighs tightened into a bruising hold and they both began thrusting shallowly against the other. He held on to her and rolled them over so she was on top, letting her take control temporarily. His eyes rolled back as she moved, still surprised she could make him feel like this. However, she threw him for a loop.

"What of you? What does your heart tell you?"

He bit his lip, muffling a grunt of pleasure. He hadn't expected her to ask in return. He shifted his legs under her, giving him more stability. He held her hips and thrust into her, almost knocking her off balance at the increased thrusts. She fell forward, leaning over his body, and he held her close with one arm, keeping his other hand on her hip. He'd later blame his words on the liquor. "I love you as well, Dyre." He felt the pressure build until it could build no more. He clenched his jaw, almost straining against the pleasure.

Dyre lost count at the amount of times she had climaxed. Her throat was becoming hoarse with her screams of bliss. At his answer she rolled her hips against his, hearing his hiss of a response. She felt her walls tighten around him a final time, her mind going blank as she cried out for him. It felt far too good.

"I love when you do that," he said with a strain in his voice and his head tilted back with a final curse. "I'm coming…" He forced her on her back and gave a few more powerful strokes before pulling out, spilling onto her belly. Their breathing came out heavy as he twitched a few times, sensitive to all forms of touch. Her squeezing had done him in, but he knew there was nothing bad in it. And now that he had done sex with emotion behind it, he knew what the warmth was, and he knew what it would bring in the future.

She watched him fall back in exhaustion, staring at his chest as it rose and fell. She frowned as he rolled off the bed to retrieve a towel from the bathroom, watching his backside as he left. "Did you mean it?"

He returned, holding out the white material for her. "I did."

"It wasn't the alcohol?"

"The Amber helped. Didn't it feel different?"

She smiled as she took the cloth to clean up their mess. "It did, yes." She reached up to gently cup his face as he sat behind her, content to just hold her for awhile. She leaned her head against his, lowering her gaze. "What happens now?"

"As I said, we keep this between us. No one has to know. It would be better if no one knew."

Her smile became sly. "So we are to fool both our families? Bad boy."

He laughed into her skin. "You're not any purer than I."

They fell into a comfortable silence, content to just sit there for awhile. She knew she would probably never get him to admit anything like that again, and so she was willing to take anything she could get. She frowned as her last few tugs of the Amber started to hit her and she fell back against him, unable to hold herself up. "I feel dizzy…"

"Just the alcohol, Love. You'll be fine." He glanced at the clock provided to each room, surprised to see it was so late in the night. Without a word he helped her under the sheets and retrieved a glass of water from the bathroom to keep it by her. He knew he shouldn't have let her take the bottle the last time, but he didn't see the harm in it when she had. By the time he slipped under the sheets with her, she was asleep, her breathing even and calm. He propped himself up on his elbow and studied her with his lips pressed in a fine line, trying to remember just when he had slipped up. He had always cared for her, even when they were children, but this… this was nothing like then. Even their shared moment under the stars did not compare.

It was more than a longing to be inside her, to be close to her. It was as if she couldn't be by his side, he would lose his mind. She had become his anchor when his days turned to shit, when he could turn to no one else to be reminded he was still loved by someone. He cursed his weak heart for allowing him to fall so far without realizing it. He wondered if the right course of action would be to turn her away, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Everything they did felt too right to even dwell on the idea. The banter, the intimacy, the mischief making, everything fit into place better than he thought they would when he teased her about her virginity over a year ago. He hadn't expected things to go so far for so long. In a way, he had to thank the dark elf for forcing them into seclusion. If the elf had not appeared, he would have dismissed the one good thing in his life. He laid close to her, intoxicated by her skin. She still smelled of the native flowers of Asgard but her taste… He couldn't get enough of her. His heart wanted more, but his body protested, having already claimed her three times that night. And he knew she needed to sleep off the alcohol. Her tolerance had gone up the past year, but she still couldn't match him.

He kissed her bare shoulder, still unsure of how to deal with himself, or with what would come. To anyone who asked, they would only have a simple arrangement for sex if stress became too much, as was their excuse if anyone bothered to ask before. The emotions would be their secret. How long they would continue their dance he was not sure, but he didn't want to dwell on the thought of losing her. What was unconventional to others worked for them, and he did not want to change a second of it.

As he drifted off to sleep, he listened to the crashing waves of the ocean below and realized he had left the door open the entire time they had been screaming into each other's skin. He cracked a grin and stifled his laughs, hoping she wouldn't realize they most likely woke their neighbors for the night with their cries of passion. With a great deal of effort, he dropped his hand to rest over her side and joined her in sweet unconsciousness.

* * *

Dyre hissed as she woke up, feeling a dull pain in her head. Alcohol never agreed with her before, and last night changed nothing about that. She looked over, seeing the bed empty. The showerhead in the bathroom made her turn her attention to it, and she carefully got up to look. She tested the door and found it unlocked. She opened the door slowly, making absolutely no noise. With a mischievous smile, she twisted her wrist, changing the temperature of the water for just a moment, laughing as she heard his startled shout. She laughed even harder as he pulled the curtain aside to glare at her. "I'm sorry, Loki. I had to."

He rolled his eyes while she let her hair fall from its usual half ponytail binding. "I was waking up slowly. Now thanks to you, I'm up." He grinned at her. "And since you're awake, I want you in here, right now."

"So you can douse me in cold water? I don't think so." She yelped as he phase shifted from the shower and grabbed her, shifting back into the tub. Almost immediately she felt the cold spray of the showerhead and she pushed against his chest, laughing. "Let go, you giant ass!"

He let the temperature return to normal, but did not retract his hold. "Do not attempt to prank your master. It will not work well."

"So it would seem." She gave up fighting his grip and instead accepted it, feeling the warm water soak into her skin. "Must we return today?"

"I could not sneak away for longer. Though I would like nothing more than to stay here and fuck you until you begged for mercy."

She let out a soft laugh. "I know you would." He smile fell. "Will we need to continue sneaking around?"

"Yes. It is how it must be."

"Even though we—"

"It doesn't matter what was said. When I said it changes nothing, I meant nothing. We will still need to steal time to be intimate. That's the downfall of having a secret life."

She sighed and pulled away. "If that is how it must be, then it will stay that way."

"For now. There is no telling what the future will bring." They bathed in silence, stealing kisses here and there. Neither felt in the mood enough to do much more.

* * *

They snuck in to the palace through a few side entrances upon their return to Asgard. He only hoped that, if their absence was noticed, it did not raise any alarms. They reached her room first and from the looks of it, no one noticed they were gone all night. He stood in her doorway, arms crossed, watching her hide the bottle of Amber in her nightstand. "This is where we part for now."

She nodded, clearing her throat as she stood. "I know preparations for the coronation in two months will take some time. How has he been with Mjolnir?"

"His training is rocky, but Tyr is certain he will get better in a matter of weeks." He waited for her to approach him before he took her hand in his. "I will see you the moment I can."

She smiled. "Don't keep me waiting."

"Never." He retreated down the hall, hearing the click of her latch behind him. It had all been worth it. Even as he was reprimanded by Thor for being late to practice, he would not have changed a thing. The usual jabs thrown out by the Warriors Three did not affect him that day, which Thor did not fail to notice.

Thor took his brother aside, dropping his voice. "You are in unusually good spirits. What has happened?"

"Nothing at all. I just don't find the taunting effective. They're losing their touch, it would seem." He tried to resume sharpening his remaining daggers, but Thor would not drop it.

"I tried to find you last night to see how you faired once you were healed. I could not find you nor Dyre anywhere. What happened?"

Loki rolled his eyes and tossed the dagger on the table in front of him housing his other ones for the moment. "Don't you have other matters to attend to than my personal life?"

"I am only concerned. I know you continue to sleep with her despite my warnings to end it. I wish to know if she is being treated well."

He felt a snap of anger break through his good mood. "Do you honestly think I treat her so horribly? If I did, why would she continuously come back? Why would she allow me into her bed?" He eyed his brother cautiously, still being careful where he tread. He checked his tone. "Listen and listen well, I do not do anything she does not consent to. I would die before I hurt her. I know she is your friend as well, but you must trust me when I say I— I don't want her hurt." He checked himself, knowing he had almost told the truth to his brother.

Thor studied him for a moment longer before nodding. "I will hold you to that." He left him alone to return to his friends, allowing the god of mischief to let out a sigh of relief. It would take effort to keep himself from telling the truth if he was to be harassed by his brother. True his past encounters with women did not help his cause, but he had hoped that staying with the same one for over a year would make Thor back off.

He stared at the daggers he still had to sharpen. His reputation did not help him either. All his life he had been calm, calculating, always thinking a few steps ahead, mainly to avoid getting caught. He knew nothing would change between he and Dyre, but at the same time, much would. In public they could keep up the appearance of just good friends that occasionally found themselves in each other's beds. In private, they would have something only they knew about and that they could be in a lot of trouble for it they were caught. He tapped a dagger against the wood of the table, staring at nothing in particular. He could hear a phantom of a whisper in his ear, her voice, calming him down. However, the phantom went further back, making him close his eyes to see it.

" _Thor has told me what you have done to Eir's daughter. Is it true?"_

_He licked his lips and nodded, eyes widened in fear at facing his father._

" _I have had no quarrels with your extended friendship. I like the girl well enough, and her father is one of my best hunters, not to mention her mother's talents in alchemy." Odin stared down at his son. "But you as an Odinson, as a prince of Asgard, must learn your place. It is not between the legs of a young medicine woman."_

_He looked away finally, his heart sinking as he knew his father's words to be true. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "Father, I love her."_

" _You only believe you do. You have been together for all your lives. It is only natural you would believe you would feel something more." Odin shook his head and sat in his throne, holding his staff firm. "I'm aware Andren has ordered her to stay away from you and Thor from now on. He believes she is too old to be friends with young men. I agree with him."_

_He remained silent, keeping his gaze to the floor._

_Odin's tough façade broke as he looked upon his son. "Loki, I am only looking out for you. A prince cannot marry a medicine woman."_

" _I know I can't."_

" _Common women must be pure upon their wedding days."_

" _I know."_

" _Nothing could come from a relationship with her." He loosened the grasp on his staff. "For your sake, put an end to your emotions. No good will come from it."_

He had forgotten for so long that he had loved her once before, but it had been stopped before it could bloom. He had learned his lesson ages ago, and so knew to never tell Thor his intentions. So long as Odin believed Dyre asked for it, and continued to do so, he could do nothing more. It had been her choice to agree to lose her virginity to him, and they were older this time around. Odin could only have a say if he knew about the progression of the relationship. He looked to Thor, in the process of being reprimanded by Sif, and wondered what it would be like to have a public relationship. His rational mind said nothing but trouble, but he still wanted to know. He collected his daggers, both the sharp and unsharpened ones and replaced them in his jacket. He ignored his brother's inquiry of where he was going and returned to the hallway that kept both his and her chambers. He stalked past his own and stopped before hers, pausing with his hand over the latch. Without a second thought he opened it, seeing her reading on her bed.

Dyre frowned, looking up from her book and hooking her loose black hair behind her ear. "I thought you'd be gone all day."

"My place is here right now." He closed the door behind him and knelt over her body, plucking the book from her grasp and tossing it to the side. She didn't protest, only accepted his advances, and pulled his lips to hers. Everything felt right with the world again. Even it was to be just for a small time, or a longer amount, he felt right where he belonged. The jabs, the insults, the insinuations, none of it mattered. All that mattered was right beneath him. If she was to be all he had in his world to keep himself from murdering everyone for testing his patience, he could deal with it. Thor could believe what he wanted. So long as they knew the truth, it didn't matter if anyone else knew. He paused only to stare into her eyes before he started their kiss again, more frantic, more passionate. Nothing else mattered, and for once, he was glad nothing did.


	24. I Still Need That

The morning of the coronation snuck up on him. Loki was up with the sun, shifting slowly off the mattress as to not wake his bedmate. She did not have to be awake as early as he. He pulled his pants over his bare legs and stood, his gaze traveling over the other body in his bed. He restrained the urge to run his hands over her exposed shoulder. He shook his head to clear it and retreated to his washroom, not seeing her open her eyes and roll over, holding the sheet to her chest.

He did everything had to do to look presentable for the coronation. Though it was not his day, all involved had to wear their full armor in respect. He reentered his chambers, barely noticing he wasn't the only one awake. "Did I wake you?"

"Yes, but its fine. No harm done."

He attached a holster to his thigh, slipping a few of his daggers in place. He had left his armor out the night before, wanting to put it on physically instead of shifting them on as he usually did. He frowned as he saw one piece missing. "Dyre, have you seen my helmet?"

"Seen? This thing is hard to miss."

He turned around to see her kneeling on his bed, one of his button up shirts thrown on her still naked body. In her hands she held his helmet by the horns, and she locked her gaze with his, a smile playing on her lips. He felt his own go dry, making his tongue subconsciously wet them again. "I need that."

"Come and get it then, boy."

He laughed a bit. "Boy? Am I to believe you want to be in charge this morning?" Her only response was a finger curling towards her, indicating he should go back to bed. "Didn't I do enough last night?"

"That was then." She held the helmet over her shoulder loosely in a teasing manner. "You'll have to come here to get it."

He wanted nothing more than to shirk his duties as Thor's brother, one of the family, Prince of Asgard, and play hooky, sinking his flesh into hers until they could take it no more. With a sigh he approached the bed. "I don't have time for this, Love. I need that."

"I'll give it back if you let me do this once." She smirked. "You've enjoyed it in the past."

"I haven't been pressed for time in the past." He kneeled on the bed next to her, lowering his gaze to the swell in her chest visible in the open buttons of his shirt. "What would you even do if I gave you the chance?"

She arched her brow and tossed the helmet behind her, pushing his shoulders until he laid flat on his back. They both ignored the clang of the gold against his stone floors. Before he could protest she straddled his hips and held down on his arms. He could have thrown her off at any time, he was fully aware, but his curiosity got the better of him. In his head he validated the distraction in his duties, making sure he would still have enough time to walk in with his brother as he was supposed to do. He felt her hands rise up his arms as she gauged his reactions. "Sit up for a moment, Loki."

He did as asked, his curiosity reaching its peak. He let her do as she pleased, holding his arms behind his back. He was surprised, however, when he couldn't move them back as she pulled away from him. He narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

"The binding spell you taught me. Though this time, you're the test subject." She still remained straddled over his lap, and she could feel his arousal through his pants. "It would seem you enjoy it though."

He couldn't answer as she covered his lips with hers, and could only moan against her skin as she began to rock her hips, pushing against him in all the ways he needed. His legs began protesting the way he was kneeling, but she was relentless. Her hands wandered over his body, leaving him drunk with lust. He briefly wondered how this time would feel. The rare times she had wanted to be dominant, it was before they had broken the rules of their "no strings attached" arrangement. For two months now, the normal sex had risen from mind blowing to what he could only describe as transcendental. Just her touch left him intoxicated, wanting more. And when he would bury himself inside her it was as if they were in Valhalla. He felt her nudge at his shoulders and he laid back, a little uncomfortable from the angle of his arms.

Without a word she pulled one of the daggers from his holster and ran the dull edge over his skin. The cold metal sent shivers down his spine, along with the sudden realization she was pressing a deadly weapon to his flesh. He only responded harder to her kiss, allowing her access past his lips, feeling her tongue dance with his. Thor, the coronation, the whole realm could do without him if he didn't show up. He wanted to be no where else but there.

She left his lips to leave his waist, letting him straighten his legs out. He hadn't realized how much blood flow he had been restricting until then. She unfastened his pants and he raised his hips to let her take them off entirely. She tossed them to the side, his daggers falling from the holster to land on the stone with his helmet. She pulled her hair over her shoulder and ran her hands up his legs, lowering her body to place a long lick to his silky hard shaft. His head fell back with a soft moan and he clenched his eyes shut to enjoy her motions. When her hands reached his firm cock, she held him in place with one hand, using the other to help stroke him.

She twisted her hand as she bobbed her head, and he hissed each time she passed over his head. He clenched his teeth as a wave of pleasure passed over him, wanting to hold off his release. "Harder." He flinched as he felt a pinch on his leg and she let out a chuckle that made him shiver.

"Ah-ah, Love, you don't make that call."

If he were to have found himself in the same situation with anyone else, he would have called off the whole thing and sent her away. Instead, he let out a groan as she continued, hitting all the right spots. He looked on in surprise as she pulled off him completely and he felt her weight shift on the mattress. Her legs parted around his shoulders and he leaned up, greedily latching on to her lower lips as if it contained the nectar of the gods. At her taste, he wouldn't have been surprised if it did.

She pulled the shirt open further, and held her folds open to him, letting him see just what he was doing. His tongue delved inside her, lapping up all traces of her essence. Her scent left him on a sort of high, leaving him wanting more. He swirled his tongue around her clit and sucked on it, pulling it between his teeth to tease it further, making her cry out for him. She leaned against the grand wooden headboard, giving herself a stable thing to help hold her up as he relentlessly teased her sex. "D-don't stop. Right there."

His tongue was growing tired fast be he ignored it. He pulled it back to his mouth to coat it before resuming his ministrations on her. Her moans became mewls as she came closer to her climax. If his hands were free he could have brought her over her limit within seconds, but he enjoyed the challenge. He heard her let out a long curse and he smiled into her skin.

"It's too good. I'm coming. I'm—" She squealed his name as she came, and her fingers instinctively drew out her own orgasm, inadvertently making him grow harder at the sight. By the time she shifted her hips to his waist his cock was standing at attention on its own, waiting to be thrust into her body.

Before the effects of her orgasm could fade, she sank on to him, making them both let out a simultaneous moan, showing that this was what they wanted, what they both needed. She sat still, trying to catch her breath, and he waited patiently, knowing she was still in charge. He hissed as she tightened around him without even moving, making his hips jerk into her against his will. If she counted it as disobedience, she didn't show it. "What would my mistress have me do?" he said, challenging her in a way to keep to her act. He wasn't expecting the lithe hand around his throat, applying a fair bit of pressure. While she kept her grip she started to move, leaving his head reeling. It was a sensation he had never felt before, and wasn't sure if he liked it.

As if she could sense his discomfort she let go of his throat and braced herself on his chest. She tossed her head back, squirming as she thrust against him. However, she found it wasn't enough. She could only move so fast and hard. He could move faster and harder. "I need you," she said around her moans, her nails biting into his chest. "Fuck me hard and fast."

It was one command he could willingly give. He shifted his legs for stability and, with his arms still bound, began outpacing her thrusts, shoving himself in as hard as he could, making him grunt against the rise in pressure. He gave a breathy laugh as she lost her balance and leaned over his body, crying out against his neck. "Mm, I see you like when I fuck you senseless, don't you?"

She bit his shoulder, reminding him of his place for now. And to muffle her growing screams of passion. Her body would freeze as the orgasm washed over her, and no sooner did she start thrusting again did she climax again. Over and over it happened until each climax was met with a squeal. She gave up trying to keep up and instead claimed his lips with hers, sliding her tongue along his. She pulled back and sucked his lower lip between her teeth, biting down gently. Her nails dug in to the sheets, her body hitting its limits.

A wave of pleasure washed over his vision, almost tempting him to slow his pace. Instead he kept to her wishes, pumping into her with vicious need. He had lost count on her climaxes, though with how tight she kept squeezing every few seconds, he knew she couldn't handle much more. She pressed her chest to his as she leaned over and nipped his ear lobe. The shock did him in. "Fuck, Dyre, I can't—"

She knew what he meant and the instant he pulled out she reached down and let him use her hand to finish him off. He released with a loud growl, his head falling back against the sheets as he tried catching his breath. Dyre twisted her wrist and released the bindings holding his arms in place, letting him rest for a moment. She laid beside him and kissed him softly, staring into his eyes as both their chests slowed down. "I love you."

"And I you." Once certain he could breathe normally again he got out of bed to look for all the pieces of his armor, as well as something to clear off his chest. The daggers had fallen out of the holster but they didn't fall far. Once his pants were back in place he also replaced the holster. He had her help him with some parts of the armor, especially when he had to attach the cape. The only piece missing again was his helmet. He turned around, seeing her holding on to it. "I do need that this time. No exceptions."

She met his smile. "I know." She watched him put it on and admired his figure in the full armor. "So regal." She looked down at herself still clothed in his shirt from before. "It seems I have some catching up to do."

"You have some time yet." He watched her walk away to gather her dress from the night prior. He frowned at a passing thought. "Why did you use my dagger?"

She looked back at him with a small smirk. "Makes things more interesting when you introduce danger. Not that I would cut you on purpose."

His gaze lingered as she tossed the shirt to the side and put the dress on in its place. "If you like danger so much, I may turn my daggers on you next time then."

She gave a purr as she pulled her hair out of her green dress. "You know I'd like it too much."

He wanted to respond, but his nerves gave a lurch as he realized just how much time had passed. "I need to meet Thor to make sure he is escorted properly. That took a little more time than I would have liked."

She frowned slightly. "It was worth it, wasn't it?"

"You haven't the slightest idea." He tugged her into a scorching kiss, sending both of their minds in a fog. He pulled away reluctantly. "I'd love for nothing more than to stay in here with you all day. However I have duties to see to."

She rolled her eyes and pushed at his shoulder. "Go do them then. I'm fine to walk the few meters to my room. The trick will be getting there before Mother finds me leaving your chambers."

"Ah, yes, that could be a bit problematic." He motioned for her to follow him out into the hallway. Once sure it was clear, he sent her on her way to change. His smile faded as he watched her enter her room down the hall. He only hoped what he had set in motion for the day would not hurt her in any way. His intentions were to teach his brother a lesson and to prove he was not ready to rule. If all went well, he would be able to bring that fact to the surface. He retreated the opposite way, going to meet with Thor, regretting nothing of what he had set in motion.


	25. Caught

Peace and quiet was all she expected on her day off. She had planned to sleep in, relax, maybe get farther in a book she had been wanting to read. All of it would have been done in her own time, at her own pace.

However, plans never run smoothly when you want them to.

She woke with a start as a heavy weight jumped onto her bed and began panting in her face. She scrunched her nose and sat up with a start, a strap of her nightdress falling off her shoulder. "Markku, how on Asgard—"

"He came to the wrong room again."

She looked up from scratching the brown mutt of a dog, seeing a perturbed Loki standing in her doorway, only dressed in a pair of loose slacks. She bit her lip, failing at hiding her smile. "I'm sorry. He must've smelled me there. Not sure why he's wandering away from the other dogs though."

"Probably missed you. Tyr's training is hard enough on people, I can't imagine the horrors the dogs go through." He crossed his arms as she got out of bed, watching the short nightdress fall from her hips back into place. "I'll be leaving today, if you'll recall."

She paused by her wardrobe, a thoughtful frown forming. "Ah, yes, the hunt. Thor's been keeping busy lately. I can't blame him. Your father is running him ragged with preparing him for his coronation."

"I'm aware. He doesn't seem to be retaining anything." He entered her room fully and closed the door behind him. "He is still as arrogant of an ass as he ever was."

"I don't think much will change that, unfortunately." She took a black dress from her wardrobe and closed it with magic as she stepped out of the night dress. "We can only hope that he will start thinking five steps ahead instead of barely one in the near future."

He was impressed with his own restraint on not moving from his spot while she dressed for the day. "He is not ready. I fear he never will be."

"Try speaking with him while you are away," she suggested, entering her washroom to find her brush. "Gauge his reaction to what he believes ruling to really be."

"And if the answer is less than satisfactory?"

She turned while ridding her hair of knots, surprised to see him in his full armor and leathers. "Try and push him in the right direction. You're his brother; he should listen to you."

He gave a hum of amusement, a small smile on his face. "You would think that." The smile faded. "Do not forget, I am the younger sibling who must remember his place as prince."

She flinched slightly and placed her brush down. "Status shouldn't matter within a family. You are brothers, not rivals." She reached up and fixed a few strands of his hair that had fallen. She froze as he caught her wrist and kept her hand to his face. "Just speak with him. What is the worst that could happen?"

He let go of her wrist, but she kept her hand in place. "Much. Do not forget how hotheaded he can be." He chanced a glance to her. "Thank you for understanding."

She smiled and took her hand back. "Friends are always there for each other."She gave a shrug as she passed by him to find her heels. "Besides, it would do no good to either party for you to be upset with him. It would make your stress worse than I could possibly fix."

He frowned as he saw her continue to dress. "I thought you were free today."

"I am, but I can't very well run half naked in that nightdress to steal food from the kitchens. It isn't proper."

He arched a brow. "You seem to enjoy doing many things that aren't proper."

She threw one of her smaller pillows at him. "Are you calling yourself improper?"

He dodged the rogue pillow and advanced on her, catching her about the waist as she tried to escape. "I am very improper. I am chaos, after all."

"You may be to other people," she smirked and turned in his grip to tap his nose, "but to me, you're still Little Loki."

He stood stunned for a moment before he started laughing, his grip slackening. "I was in the past. Not anymore."

She shrugged, her smile still present. "Physically you aren't." She nodded to his stature, where she only came up to his shoulders. "Mentally, you're still the same conniving man I used to know as a child."

"I have to be if I want to be sneaky." He watched her pull her hair into a half ponytail. "Speaking of sneaky, come to breakfast with me instead of stealing scraps from the kitchen."

She arched a brow as she tied off the band. "Volstagg would have eaten everything by now."

"Wouldn't hurt to check. Besides, you belong at the tables with us for everything, not just dinner."

She scoffed. "On what grounds?"

"Besides the fact you work for the family in a non-slave position, you're my friend and Thor's. The Warriors eat with us."

"The Warriors also hunt for your people," she added. "I heal them. That's it."

"Don't sell yourself short." He paused as she knelt down to stroke the dog. "If it weren't for the combined talents of you and your mother, many of the hunters would have died by now. If anyone deserves a permanent place at the tables, it is your family." He knelt beside her. "Come with me."

She let a breath of a laugh escape her nose as she smiled. "Persistent, aren't you?"

"You know for a fact I am."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Only because I'm ravenous." She stood with him. "Lead the way."

* * *

To her amazement, the Warriors had not even made it to the dining hall yet. "Seems it's earlier than I thought," she mused, watching the servants lay out the food. Her face fell as she looked ahead, seeing his father still at the high table with Frigga. "I can't—"

"You can and will," he muttered, leading her forward. "Good morning, Father," he said, announcing their presence. Odin looked up from his conversation with Frigga as his youngest son approached him.

"I was beginning to wonder if we would be dining alone before you and the others left," Odin said, though Dyre barely heard him.

She was having trouble looking Odin in the eye, and she could have sworn Frigga was looking at her with judgment in her eyes. If she was, Dyre felt it would have been deserved. The only thoughts that ran through her head as they sat down were, _"Good morning, sir. Lovely day, isn't it? By the way, I am indeed fucking your son."_

As if sensing her tension, she felt a leg press gently against hers in an attempt to calm her down.

"The target is a boar this time, if I'm not mistaken?" Odin asked, setting his silverware down on his empty plate. A servant immediately came by to take it away.

"So far as I know, yes. Hogun said a pack of them wandered by yesterday, so that would be the assumed quarry."

Dyre thanked a servant that filled her glass, her voice coming out meek and completely unlike her.

"Miss Dyre, surely you are not accompanying them?" Frigga asked, sipping from her own glass.

She almost jumped at being addressed. "No, ma'am. I, uh—"

"Her dog managed to slip into my room this morning. I had to redirect him to the proper location." Under the cloth of the table he slipped his hand over her leg. "I thought no harm would come to bringing her to breakfast. After all, she has done much with her magic for the palace."

"Yes, a good use for it indeed." Odin studied her closely with his remaining eye. "How have you adjusted to living in the palace, Dyre?"

"It's been a big change, but it's been liberating. Especially to have my own quarters, away from my mother. I love the woman, but there is only so much one can take of their maker." Her eyes widened and she averted her gaze. "Forgive me. I do not mean to speak ill of my mother."

Odin chuckled and stood. "There is nothing to forgive. That small shack of a home would have driven anyone mad. I am glad you have adjusted well, and I hope you will continue to use your magic for the good of the people."

She nodded. "Yes, sir. Of course."

"If I do not see you before your hunt, I wish you luck." He clapped his son on the shoulder before he left the dining hall, his wife in tow.

Dyre let out a breath she hadn't even realized she held. "If I never have to do that again it will be too soon."

"It's not like he knows anything." He accepted tea from one of the servants. "You don't need to worry. Even if he did, it is only a stress relief, remember?"

She was surprised to feel a little hurt by his statement, however true it was. It wasn't as if they felt nothing at all for each other. They still remained close through it all. She, however, had fallen a little farther than she would have ever admitted to him. She didn't want it to happen, didn't expect it to, it just did. One night they were letting off pent up lust, and the next thing she knew she was biting back a deeper emotion. She distracted herself as food was brought out for them and the others entered the dining hall as well.

"Damn. Grab what you can before Volstagg takes it. I'd rather no one starve," he muttered.

"I actually have a better idea for the glutton."

He frowned. "Remember I have to deal with them for the next few days."

She cracked a grin. "That's the idea."

Thor gave off his usual thunderous laugh, his arms outspread. "Dyre, my friend, it seems like ages since I've seen you. What has been eating your time? It would be nice to see you more often."

She gave a weak smile as the thunder god took the seat beside her. "The magic has helped tremendously in the healing arts, but it still takes up a good portion of my time. So many of the harvesters manage to snag their scythes in their legs. It's a gory process."

Fandral frowned. "Surely you're not spending all your time in that healing room. There must be other things you partake in."

She bit back a sarcastic comment, but was cut off by Loki regardless. "She would probably never leave that room if she weren't provided distractions."

She glanced at him. "Yes, and we all know how well you distract someone from what they should be doing."

"I never hear you complain. In fact, I hear you do the complete opposite."

She grinned, realizing his game. "I never hear you complain much either." She wasn't expecting his hand to return to her leg under the cloth, only this time not in an innocent distance from her hips. However, she masked her surprise well.

The others seemed to have taken no notice to their playful banter. Only Fandral seemed concerned. "Is he distracting you from important work, Miss Dyre?"

"Not at all. He helps, really. There are some forms of magic I don't quite understand. Physical motions are required that I just can't seem to get right on my own."

"You sell yourself short," the trickster replied simply, the hand traveling down her inner thigh. "I think you've improved vastly over the past ten months."

"I'd hope so." She placed her hand over his, but instead of removing it, she encouraged it. In doing so, she could have sworn she heard him purr in that satisfied way of his.

"I'm sure there are other things you still must learn," Fandral said to gain her attention again. "Training with swords, perhaps? I am a master swordsman, you know. I could be of great assistance."

Her surprise did show through as she felt a leg press against hers, this time from across the table where Fandral sat. She pulled out of his reach, which Loki did not fail to notice. Dyre merely twisted her wrist below the table, and she saw Fandral flinch in pain as she located a major nerve in the leg. She gave a sly smile. "No, I believe I am fine with what I've been taught. Wouldn't you agree?"

Thor frowned around his food. "Fandral? What seems to be the problem?"

"Nothing at all," he responded quickly and Dyre lifted the magic. "Leg cramp. I'm fine."

"You should have that looked at," Loki said, mirth in his eyes.

Dyre took notice of Volstagg, who had still not started eating. This was only due to him piling a mountain of food on his plate. "Volstagg, where do you even put all that food?"

"Even we have not figured that out," Sif said from beside Thor. "That gullet of his will be the death of him some day."

"I'll have you know it takes quite a deal of energy to do what I do," the rotund Warrior said, topping off his morning sandwich delicately with a piece of toast. "I must eat well to keep up my strength."

Dyre watched him prepare to take a bite and she twisted her wrist again. She saw him take a bite and she herself almost felt bile rise in her throat.

Volstagg frowned at the sandwich, and dropped it immediately, spitting out the food. The lower half of a large roach crawled out of the meal and over the plate, making the man jump back in surprise. "The palace is infested!"

Lady Sif covered her mouth while Thor pulled his own plate away. He watched the roach fall under the table, where Dyre made it vanish. "I doubt it is infested. You must have been unlucky. Make another."

"They're tricky bugs, aren't they?" Dyre said, returning to her own plate of food. "I found one in the washroom not long ago. Luckily I had Markku nearby and he killed it. I couldn't imagine one getting in my food, let alone taking a bite out of it." She could see the Warrior's face turn a shade greener. "Why Volstagg, you look pale. You should probably see me before you leave."

"No, no, I'm fine. Just…" He trailed off and covered his mouth, heaving for a moment.

Below the table, she felt a different sort of pressure, one she recognized as magic not of her own pressing against her core under her dress. He had started to play dirty. However, she could play just as dirty. She turned her attention to Thor. "So Loki tells me you will be hunting boars?" She twisted her wrist, sending the same pressure to the juncture of his hips and she could see him react ever so minutely. It was faint, but she knew what to look for. His eyes darkened and his lips pressed into a fine line as he glanced at her. She only gave a subtle wink and kept her attention on his brother. She would most likely pay for it later, not that she would complain. She found she enjoyed being a submissive.

Thor basically dropped his mug to the table. "Yes. A pack of them passed by yesterday. It is a fine excuse for a hunt. If we're lucky, we can provide for a small feast within the next few days, should the weather favor us."

She almost gasped as the magical pressure increased. "Ah, I hope so too. A festival is something we could use. The palace has been quiet lately." She attempted to hide behind her glass.

Fandral, however, noticed her tells. "Are you feeling well, Miss Dyre? Your cheeks are reddening."

She heard the trickster next to her snort faintly, though he only hid his grin behind his own cup.

"I must be coming down with something. Nothing serious though. I'll take care of it once I leave." She discretely twirled her fingers and saw his grip on the cup tighten. She refused to be outdone. It wasn't easy to ignore the twisting pressure, but she was doing a well enough job. "So, how many are in this pack?"

"Around six, so says Hogun," Thor answered, nodding to the silent man who had yet to touch anything.

"Six? And you're planning on taking them all down by yourselves? That is impressive." She closed her hand around air, and she heard his hiss of surprise. That was what she needed. "Is something wrong, Loki?" She tried her hardest to hide her satisfied smirk.

"Nothing at all. Just a minor irritation."

She bit her lip as the pressure slipped inside of her before vanishing entirely. It was his way of saying he was through with playing games. It was also his way of punishing her. "I'm sure you all would like to discuss your journey. I'll be on my way. Thank you for allowing me to stay at the table with you all."

Thor frowned. "Wouldn't you like to stay?"

"No, really, I should be going." She stood from the bench of the grand table and bowed. "If I do not see you before your departure, good hunting."

* * *

Her original destination was the gardens, where she could distract herself long enough to calm down. However, she was found before she could make it there. "You should know better than to test my restraint," her trickster hissed in her ear.

She wasn't allowed to answer. He grabbed her upper arm and dragged her away, towards the stables. "Where are we going?"

"There isn't enough time to leave to our hallway, and I'd rather not phase shift the whole way there and back."

Even after sharing beds for months, her heart still began to race. He tossed her down the first narrow, dark corridor he could find and followed after her, pushing her against the wall and latching on to her lips. She tried pulling back, but he was relentless.

He reached between them and unfastened his slacks, pulling his harder self out. With little effort he started hiking her dress up, running his hands down her smooth legs.

When he finally let her breathe, she gave him a sly grin. "Someone's in a rush. I thought a trickster god would love games."

"I do. And I love how you're so naughty. That was your work with Volstagg's food, and you put Fandral in his place, didn't you?"

"Guilty." She gasped as he latched on to her throat and ran his fingers over her slit. "You taught me well."

"So I have. Perhaps too well." He slipped his fingers inside her, curling them forward, grinning as she whimpered. "You struck back against me. You've been a bad girl."

"I thought— I thought you liked it." She leaned forward and grasped on to his shoulder, finding a sense of stability as he hit something inside her.

"Mm, I did. But you were still disobedient. I should punish you for it." He quickened his finger's strokes and she bit down on her cry of pleasure. "However, I'm pressed for time." He tried pulling his fingers out, but she held him there. "Still disobeying me?"

"Don't-don't stop."

It was more of a plea than a command, and he allowed it. He kept up his movement, his excitement mounting at her whimpers. Knowing he had this much power over a creature was intoxicating. If he wanted it, he could stop her pleasure and leave her there in the passageway. He could bring her to the brink of her climax and pause, drawing it out as long as his fingers could go. Instead he locked his lips with hers, feeling her moan against him. She grasped on to his neck and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as her body snapped and shuddered more violently than usual, making her scream into his skin. At the same time, he felt a surprising expulsion of liquid around his fingers. He slowed his strokes, feeling her shaking. "Did I just make you squirt?"

"I-I think so." She loosened her grasp on his neck and leaned against the wall.

"I wasn't aware you could do that."

"I wasn't either. I thought it was a myth." She yelped as he lifted her to his hips and slipped inside of her. "Loki!"

"You had yours, I need mine." He pushed her back against the wall, keeping them balanced as he shifted in to her. "Now shut up and ride me."

She pushed against the wall to meet his strokes, leaning her head back as he pressed his lips to her throat and what showed of her chest from under her low cut dress. Her legs wrapped around his waist to help her rock with him.

He held her up as he shoved her into the wall, filling her up over and over again. He ignored the budding warmth that had been creeping into his chest when they were together for almost a month now. He passed it off as lust for the longest time, though he was finding it harder and harder to lie to himself. They had agreed to no strings attached. No love. Nothing. Only sex. Emotions would only complicate things if they needed to part ways again. That couldn't stop the warmth, the feeling of acceptance. When she was in his arms, nothing else mattered. He may have been her master, her teacher in the ways of magic, he still never treated her badly. It was all in fun. He loved having control over her, but at the same time, he loved the fact she let him dominate her. It was a mutual thing he found he needed. He shifted his legs for better balance and ground his teeth as he started to reach his limit.

She bit her lip, swallowing her moans as he hit all the right spots. Her heart screamed for her to tell him the truth, but her mind made her stop. It was sex; it was all it ever would be. They were friends, nothing more.

He was closing in on his peak. He couldn't hold back much longer. It was then he realized something he hadn't before. "Fuck."

"W-what is it?"

"Where should I—?"

She caught his eye and licked her lips. "You tell me."

A shock of pleasure raced down his spine. "On your knees then." He pulled out of her and set her weight down, letting her kneel before him. He shivered as she pulled his cock in her mouth and he leaned forward against the wall. "Good girl. Just like that." He shifted his hips in time to her motions, being careful to not thrust too far. He let out a long satisfied moan as he released down her throat, jerking a few times as he grew too sensitive. He leaned his head against his arm on the wall and looked down at her, meeting her gaze as she swallowed. "You have no idea how hot that is."

"I take it that should suffice while you'll be gone?"

"It will do." He helped her to her feet and adjusted his pants back into place. "Try not to miss me too much."

She arched a brow. "I should say the same to you."

He scoffed, but smiled all the same. "Don't flatter yourself, Love."

She grinned and backed him into the opposite wall. "Admit it. You'll miss me."

He held up his hands. "I refuse to admit or deny any such thing."

She slapped his shoulder. "Don't get yourself killed, alright? Life would be too boring without you around to distract me from my work."

"I'll see to it." He stalked down the hallway when she let him away from the wall.

She bit her lip, watching him leave. "Loki?"

He paused but didn't turn around. "What?"

"I…" Her nerve vanished completely. "Keep Thor in check. He could learn a few things from you."

He let out another scoff. "Don't wait up for me."

She let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall, staring at his retreating form. "I love you, you prat," she muttered. She waited a few minutes to leave as well, leaving in the opposite directions of the stables.

Neither realized they had been seen by a certain woman warrior who had kept herself hidden well. Lady Sif dropped from the rafters, a smug smile on her face as she watched the medicine woman's steps. "Well then, that is interesting."


	26. The Hunt

Eight days. Eight long excruciating days to hunt a boar. Tracking the damned thing was almost impossible after a storm made them retreat into a nearby cave. It took two more days for them to pick up the trail again. Even the horses seemed to be losing their patience. "For something that is supposed to be fun, I'm not having much of that feeling," Loki muttered to his brother as they took up the rear guard.

Thor frowned. "Sure we've had less than the best of luck, but it has still been enjoyable being in the company of our friends."

Loki swallowed a scoff. They were his acquaintances, nothing more. They were the same as almost everyone else, put off by the way he used his magical gifts. Only one person had encouraged him to keep his gifts as they were, and he found himself wanting to see her again. The urge had never been as strong, mainly due to how rare it was for him to be away from the palace more than four days at a time while hunting with his brother. The urges never had a chance to stray farther from a strong need to slake his growing lust. Now that he had been on the damned creature's back for eight days, the lust started to grow into something that confused him. It wasn't something he understood nor wanted to understand.

The grunting of Fandral's steed made him stop and look ahead, pausing with the others. They dismounted the horses quietly, grabbing their weapons.

The hunt was finally on.

* * *

Each of the men and Sif laughed around their campfire for the night as they recounted their tales of the fight, as well as fights past. Four decently sized boars hung from a sturdy tree not far away so they could be drained before they returned for Asgard the next morning.

"And did you see that boar's eyes when Loki did his fake image spell?" Volstagg said, howling in laughter. "I've never seen a pig stick itself. How far would you say those tusks went into that tree?"

"At least most of the tusk," Fandral answered, always willing to stretch the truth. "And Lady Sif, that excellent maneuver, how is it done?"

Loki tuned out the rest of the conversation, focusing on the metallic sound of whetstone against his daggers. It wasn't an oddity for him to be involved in the stories when he did something physically impressive. When he thought of it, their jabs were not always misdirected. He hadn't exactly done them any favors, nor had they done any for him. Regardless, he sat a minute distance away from the others, continuing his work as if nothing had crossed his mind at all.

"You're quiet tonight, Loki," Thor's thunderous voice said next to him, though all present could hear. "Do you not wish to join in our celebration? We've caught four marvelous boars, and here you sit sharpening your weapons. What is on your mind?"

Before he could answer, Volstagg let out a booming laugh around his rations. "He's been away from that medicine woman too long. It's starting to go to his head."

He wanted to throw his current dagger into the rotund warrior's eye socket. "I've no idea what you mean," he muttered, resuming the motions.

"It has been a long eight days," Sif said with a grin. "I don't think he's gone this long for over a year now. How does it feel?"

He chose to not answer. Sif and his brother had taken quite a few scouting missions over the week, and so he knew she was prodding in places she didn't belong.

To his surprise, Fandral voiced his opinion next. "I don't blame him."

He looked up from his work. "For what exactly?"

"For wanting a woman's touch. I'm going mad here as well."

As he thought about it, he shouldn't have been surprised. He was more offended by his choice of words, saying "a woman's touch" as if he had strayed the past year.

"At least he is with the same woman," Hogan interjected.

"That we know of," Fandral countered. "He's had two at once before."

"Not this time," Sif said, studying the god of mischief's face. "He actually cares for this one."

Loki rolled his eyes, tired of the way they were speaking, as if he was not sitting right in front of them. "That never happened, Fandral. None of the others lasted more than a night. And I don't care for her in the way you think I do, Sif. We've been close friends since all three of us were small children." He shrugged, ignoring a crawling feeling in his gut, as if his body was trying to tell him something. "We are still friends. We only find ourselves in each other's beds now that we are older." He gave a particularly hard stroke of the whetstone. "I believe we are allowed to have such luxury. Why would I stray and hunt for another woman when I have a willing one right down the hall?" The words felt vile as he said them, almost making him want to take them back. However, it was what they had agreed upon months ago. No strings attached. Just friends. Just sex.

Volstagg frowned. "A woman who does not want an emotional attachment? Those exist?" Sif slapped his shoulder. "What?"

Thor started laughing. "You can't deny you had a crush on her growing up. You were smitten from day one."

He shook his head in disbelief. "You did as well. We were young boys with a girl for a friend. What did you think was going to happen?"

"As I recall, she became the object of many of our spats."

"Due to you being a pompous ass." He shoved his dagger in his coat with the others, moving on to the next dull one. "You made it a game." He smirked. "And, as I recall, she began spending more time with me than you, and it stung you something fierce."

Thor's smile faded. "I suppose I was a lot to handle."

Loki suppressed a snort and kept his attention to the dagger. "She had said something about liking magic more than strength. Tricks over swords." He shrugged. "What could I do?"

"Not give her a ring, that's what."

This immediately piqued the interest of everyone else. "He what?" Fandral said, truly astonished.

"Are you still upset about that?" Loki said with a groan. "Didn't you tease me enough afterward to where I almost regretted the choice?"

"Did I miss something?" Volstagg said, almost forgetting his rations. "Did Loki propose to her once?"

"No!" He threw the dagger into the ground in frustration. "No, we were still young when I gave it to her. It was a gift. Young females like jewelry. I got her jewelry for her birthday. Silver with an emerald, since she hates gold." He noticed them all staring, making him uncomfortable. "Does it matter?"

Thor laughed again. "I remember what I said now. I said 'You got a girl a ring, now you have to marry her'."

He narrowed his eyes. "How did we even get on the topic of this? She stopped wearing it some time ago. She must have lost it. It doesn't matter any longer." He made a shooing motion with his hand. "Discuss something else, like Hogun's sex life."

"Yours is more interesting," Fandral countered. "How many offspring do you have running about?"

"I… I don't know. That's not something I would know. I don't talk to any of the women I slept with in the past."

"I hadn't even thought of that," Volstagg said, finishing his rations. "What if she becomes with child? You've been sleeping together for so long, it is almost certainly going to happen."

He hadn't exactly thought of the issue. She had a tea her mother made her that prevented her from becoming pregnant, but it wasn't completely accurate. There still was a chance that, even when she took the teas, she could still become pregnant. "I pull out most of the time. I don't have much of a risk of becoming a father to her child." He paused and shook his head. "Why am I even discussing this with you? It's none of your damned business what I do and who I do it with."

"We boast of our sexual conquests enough. We never hear input from the infamous God of Mischief," Fandral replied. "What keeps you in her bed? Or her in yours?"

He didn't answer right away. He didn't want to discuss his personal life amongst his brother's friends. When the others sat in silence, genuinely wanting to hear his stories, he sighed. "There's history. And, it is only sex. Women have needs just as men do." He gave a quick look to Sif. "I would rather return to a woman whom I've taught how to please me from the day I took her purity than one who agrees readily to sex." They each went quiet, making him wonder what he had said. "What?"

"I wasn't aware she was still pure," Sif said. "I had thought—"

"It doesn't matter," Thor interrupted. "In a way, he saved her that way."

"Yes, the elf," Fandral said, handing Volstagg the remains of his rations. "She had been promised to him pure, if I'm not mistaken."

Loki found himself growing increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. In the past, and even now, the others would speak freely of their sexual conquests as if they were nothing. He usually did not participate, but did laugh along with them. It was unnerving to be the focus of the conversation. He looked on in surprise as his brother handed him a bottle of Asgardian Amber, something he must have been hiding the whole trip. He took the hint and uncorked it, taking a few swigs.

"So, is it really just sex?" Fandral asked.

"Yes, I've said that." He tried passing the bottle back to Thor, but his brother refused. He rolled his eyes and kept it for himself. "Honestly, there is nothing more there."

Sif laughed. "You are dense, aren't you?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The woman's been allowing you to mount her for a year and expects nothing in return? I highly doubt it. I've seen the glances you both give each other at dinner. And I've seen you both slip down corridors." Her sly grin remained as he answered with a few more pulls from the Amber. "You should traverse further down those corridors, by the way."

He almost choked on his last tug. The last time they had slipped down a narrow hallway had been a week ago, right before he left for the hunt. They were unable to return to their rooms, so he had just pressed her to the wall, wrapped her legs around his waist, and made sure they would both be satiated for a few days. He had been so sure no one had seen. "You saw that?"

The others only laughed, and Fandral made a comment about how he was surprised Sif's eyes didn't burn out of her sockets.

He rolled his eyes and returned to sharpening his daggers. "It matters not what I do, or what you think we feel. We're friends, nothing more."

"Sex complicates things," Fandral continued. "A few nights every so often wouldn't mean anything. But over a year with the same woman… that means something."

"Believe whatever you 'd like to believe." He felt a little lightheaded from the Amber. "I don't need to listen to the opinions of a man that has at least one woman in his bed every night." He paused in his work, a thoughtful look on his face. "Why is it they never come back after you've taken them to bed? Is it that small, unsatisfactory penis Dyre assumed you have?"

Even in the light of the fire Loki could see Fandral fluster. "Watch your tongue."

He leaned forward, his trademark grin prominent. "Or what? I thought we were talking of our sex lives." His eyes lit up. "Or is it because you're still envious of me that I managed to keep the one woman you didn't catch with your lackluster bullshit?"

Fandral attempted to get up, but Volstagg held him back. "I'm warning you…"

His grin only widened. "Tell me, Fandral, how does it feel knowing she continuously seeks me out and shuns you? What does that say?"

"That's enough, Loki!" Thor shouted, and his brother's grin slowly faded. "Enough, both of you. This was to be a night of jesting and celebration, not taunting."

He put a hand to his heart in a sign of sincerity, eyes cautious. "I meant no harm."

"Oh stow it!" Fandral pulled out of Volstagg's grip. "You don't deserve her. You take the poor woman you claim to be your friend for granted."

He pointed his dagger at the warrior. "And you do? The man infamous for his ability to sleep with every woman in the kingdom?" He paused. "Almost every woman. Think of it. Am I really so horrible for her? I have never taken anything she provides for granted. I ask for nothing. I do not demand her to sleep with me. I also have not cast her aside like a used toy as you do almost every night to women you don't even bother to learn their names beforehand." He lowered the weapon, instead picking up the bottle by the neck, his eyes narrowed in a taunting manner. "How am I the villain in this?"

Fandral bristled and stood, stalking away into the woods.

Thor watched him leave. "That was unwise, Brother."

"Excuse me while I cry for forgiveness." He scoffed and looked at the liquor, debating if he wanted to make his head any more distorted. He was already feeling different, more at ease. His filter also slacked. "I have good intentions. To her I mean." He ended up deciding more of the Amber was his best choice.

It didn't slip by Thor's notice. "Sif, Hogan, Volstagg, would you mind calming Fandral down?"

They each nodded and stood, leaving to find their missing warrior.

Thor waited until they were gone before continuing. "I know you have good intentions. You usually have horrible ways of showing what you really want to show. We only want to make sure Dyre is not harmed with this. If what you say is true and you still do not love each other, no harm will come."

He scoffed and took another deep pull. The burn of the liquor was gone by then. "That's the thing. I'm not sure if it is true."

Thor scowled. "What do you mean?"

"Women are women. They get attached, no matter what. I know she's developed something." He stared at the bottle. "She hasn't said it. Probably afraid of what I'd say." The previous tugs started to catch up to him.

He nodded a few times. "What will you do if she has?"

"If it were months ago when this all started I would have ended the relationship. Now, I'm not sure."

He smirked. "The sex is that good?"

"You've never had the chance to take a virgin and mould them to your liking, teach them everything that works. On top of that, she's very…" He tried to look for the right word.

"Curious?" Thor tried.

"In a way. She's not afraid to try new things, not afraid to take control if I offer it. It's… strange." He shrugged and set the bottle down. "In a way, she is mine. I helped make her who she is behind bedroom doors."

"Or hallways," he added with a chuckle.

"Or hallways." He stared into the fire. "Is it normal to still sleep with the same woman for over a year? To be unable to completely slake your lust?"

"In certain circumstances, I believe so." He took the bottle from his brother before he could ingest any more. "She's our friend. We were unable to see her for so long. Due to that, I don't want her hurt."

"Nor do I. As I said, I don't ask her to do anything. It is her choice. If she were to ask to stop this—" He paused, dwelling on the thought. What if she would soon want it all to stop? Could they still just be friends like they used to be? He immediately locked away the thought of seeing her with another man, not wanting to think about it.

"What would you do?"

"I'd… I'd stop."

His brother waited, nodding. "Not willingly."

"Of course not willingly you twit." He checked himself. "I apologize."

"All is forgiven." He toyed with the bottle, keeping his gaze to the flames as his brother was doing. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you love her?"

"Even if I did, it'd be forbidden, you know this. It would be pointless."

"You didn't answer me."

He glared at his brother. "I don't."

Thor almost flinched at the edge included in his tone. "And you believe she does."

"It would appear that way."

"Then you need to stop this. All of it. She will only get hurt if you turn her away." His brother refused to meet his gaze. "Don't let her fall farther."

"I know what needs to be done. Don't tell me what to do." The way he said it signaled the end of their conversation. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. It was more than lust. He missed the feel of her weight pressed against him, the sound of her sighs in his ear as he thrust himself inside her, the taste of her sweet lips, the smell of the native flowers she used in her perfumes. It was more than physical what he was beginning to miss. He missed her laughter, her comforting hold, her intellect and sharp wit. The more he thought about their situation, the more he realized he would seek her out for more than sex. She kept him stable where others couldn't.

He tried standing, feeling the world attempt to rush up to meet him. He kept his balance on the tree behind him.

Thor noticed. "Where are you going?"

"I didn't think it would be appropriate to piss in front of my flesh and blood." It was half true. The other half of his reasoning remained in his head. He needed a moment alone. Once he found his feet he wandered into the forest until he was sure he was far enough away that he wouldn't be heard. He kept his mind occupied, trying to sort out his head. What was the warmth he felt around her? A sense of comfort? A fleeting thought of affection? No, it was more than that. He had felt something similar many years ago when they were in the gardens. Was that really…?

A breeze brought a familiar scent to his nose and he closed his eyes, imagining a presence next to him. The breeze passed through again, and the warmth returned. He could have sworn he felt her by him, lightly touching his arm in reassurance. "Would it be so wrong if I loved you?" he muttered. He opened his eyes to darkness once more, the imagined presence gone. He shook his head and adjusted his clothes. "What a foolish notion…"


	27. A Year Can Change a Person

Dyre growled in frustration and sat up in bed, ignoring the drooping straps of her nightdress. She tried for hours to sleep in vain. Too many things prevented her from her goal. She bit at her thumb lightly in thought. She had convinced herself not long after her miscarriage that she hated him. She had pretended to have no lingering emotions for the man who had turned from her friend to her lover, to almost—

She shook her head, staving off the thought. She pretended it didn't affect her, refused to let it show. If anyone asked how she was, she lied to their face for awhile, until she began believing her own lies. She began to progressively worsen in her spite. Her tricks and general use of magic grew, expanded by her own growing hatred for her people. They in turn spurned her, but not for the magic. Someone let slip of her relationship. And, due to what he had done before he surrendered to the abyss, they began to shy away from her. She had heard the whispers when she was gathering herbs and supplies.

" _Loki's child, that's right."_

" _Such a shame. I thought she was such a nice girl."_

" _I'm sure he used his silver tongue to coerce her into his bed."_

She had made one of the legs of the chair one of the women was sitting on vanish. The woman fell hard with a shriek of pain, and Dyre stalked away, fighting back her emotions.

She tossed the covers off her frame and slipped her long black robe over her matching nightdress. Without bothering to grab her slippers she snuck into the hall, keeping her footsteps silent. She had initially intended to take a quick walk around the palace to attempt to calm herself down. She had never known who had let the information slip, but whoever it was had never told the public that she had miscarried. Most of the public believed she had had the child and was stowing it away in the palace in some places. Others had morbid ideas that she had sold it to Hela in an attempt to bring the prince back. She shook her head, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Nonsense, all of it. She hadn't been lying when she said she had nothing left.

Before she realized it, her feet had taken her to the entrance of the dungeons where two guards stood watch. "What brings you here, Miss Dyre?" one asked, keeping his weapon at the ready.

"I'm… not sure. I couldn't sleep. I'll be on my way." She walked away, turning a corner. With a focus of will she flicked her wrist towards where the guards stood. Within moments she heard the sound of bodies colliding with the floor. She looked around the corner and saw them both in a heap on the floor, fast asleep.

Without a second thought she tiptoed past them, taking the keys from one. She unlocked the door as quietly as she could and slipped inside, feeling no remorse for her actions. For the rest of the hallway she took to the shadows, hiding if she heard the hall guards coming towards her. Once they passed she flicked her wrist, making sure they would not discover the sleeping guards. At the end, she hid in a corner where the torchlight did not touch her. With another flick, she made the guards fall into the same sleep as the others. The keys from the first guard fit into the lock perfectly. Still without caring of what she was doing she slipped inside of the cell.

* * *

Loki heard the click of a latch and frowned. It was far too late for the guards to be bringing him anything at all. He was shocked to see Dyre slip in, not meeting his gaze as she carefully closed the door behind her. "What on Asgard are you doing here so late?"

She stood firm, something he was not accustomed to seeing much from her. "I just put six guards under using a sleeping spell, and you ask what I'm doing here?"

"Well, yes." For the first time in ages he felt a sort of panic. "You need to get out of here. You'll be in a lot of trouble if you're caught."

She smirked. "You're only in trouble if you get caught. I won't."

"How can you be so sure? Asgardian guards are no pushovers. You're only a woman who knows basic spells."

She only cocked a brow in response. "Am I?"

He was surprised to feel his wrists stick together by an invisible force and another held him back against the wall his cot was attached to. He felt his blood begin to boil. "I see a year changes a person."

"It depends on the year." She sauntered up to the cot and straddled his legs, making him wet his dry lips. The forces removed themselves and he immediately ran his shackled hands up her thighs, almost unable to contain himself. Had it really been a year since he had taken her last? Since he had felt a loving embrace? He checked himself and held his hands in place. "Is something wrong?"

"We can't… After everything that has happened—"

"After everything that has happened, don't you think we both need this?" She shifted her hips slightly and a hiss left his lips.

"I want nothing more than to fuck you senseless," he muttered behind clenched teeth, "but not here. It isn't right, taking you in a prison cell."

"And why isn't it?" Her face fell finally and she got off his legs. "I know we said we can't go back, but…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I've— I just missed you. I had to see you again."

He let a smile slip. "I would have done the same, Love. Granted it would probably be too much for me to see you in shackles."

"You were so willing before."

"You were allowed in here before through Thor's kindness. You were allowed here to heal me. I'm surprised he let you in alone." He motioned for her to return to his lap and he hauled his shackles over her frame, keeping her in place. "You could be tried for treason by breaking in here."

"I used a key."

"You stole the key."

"Borrowed."

"Without permission, ergo stealing." Her scent sent his mind reeling. "You could be accused of trying to free me."

"I've been accused of enough since you've been gone. It would make no difference what the accusation would be now." Her gaze fell to his chest. "Someone let word slip in town I was carrying your child. Due to your actions, the whispers quickly spread. Whoever told the first gossiper never followed up when the pregnancy failed. The rumors are… colorful, to say the least."

He hadn't known anything of the rumors. He couldn't have, given his current accommodations. "What are they saying?"

"The most interesting one is that I sold the child to your daughter to bring you back to Asgard."

He frowned. "Hela?"

"Unless you have another daughter in control of the dead."

"No, she's the only one I know of." He cleared his throat and looked away from her. "You have to understand you were gone for… I wasn't sure if you were to—"

She cut him off, placing a finger to his lips. He fought the urge to nip at the pads of her fingers playfully. "If you have other offspring, I don't care. We didn't know we'd see each other again. On top of that, we were still only friends when we parted ways. True we had confessed our feelings, but we were still young. It could have been anything. Things happen."

He nodded and he closed his eyes as she trailed her fingers to his face. He instinctively pressed against it, feeling the cold of the silver band on her ring finger. It pleased him to know she still wore it. "Do you know who spread the rumors?"

She shook her head. "No. Thor does not know either. I eventually stopped going into town to avoid listening to the pathetic whispers. Some believed you coerced me into your bed."

He scoffed. "You had me in yours just as much, Love." He ran a hand up her thigh, under the open robe and her black nightdress. He immediately wanted more. "How long will the guards be out for?"

"Another hour and a half I believe. Markku is usually out all night when I do the spell on him, so for Asgardians I would assume two hours."

He arched a brow. "You've used your dog as a test subject?"

"He kicks and whines in his sleep. I had to. Why do you wish to know?" He grinned as her eyes widened while his hands rested on her ass, hiking up her nightdress in the process. She met his grin. "Naughty boy, I thought you didn't want to."

"I do, I just don't want you in trouble. However, if you will be out of here in time to replace the keys before the guards waken, you've given me a temptation I can't part with." He placed a kiss to her chest, above the swell of her breasts. "It's been a horrible year for both of us. As you said, we need it." He steadied himself against the floor of the cell and pushed his hips up into hers, hearing her gasp as his clothed cock pressed into her. He clenched his teeth against the wave of pleasure that took over his mind. "Let me see you. All of you."

He pulled his shackles back over her head to let her stand. His throat went dry as the robe fell in a heap on the floor, and the nightdress pooled around her feet not even a second later. He advanced on her, cursing the shackles as he tried to wrap his arms around her frame. Instead he led her to the cot and had her sit where he was a moment prior.

This was how he remembered her. It was what he loved most about her. How willing she always was to trust him with her body. He knelt before her and parted her legs, taking in her womanly scent mixed with the native flowers. He couldn't hold back and latched on to her lower lips, delving his tongue between her folds to lap up all of her sweet juices. He almost moaned against her skin as she mewled. He couldn't believe he had gone a year without her.

He felt her run her fingers through his hair as she had when they were together, and he took it as a sign to keep going. He chanced a glance up at her and saw her keeping herself quiet, a finger between her teeth. He mentally cursed and began unfastening the leathers around his waist. He couldn't wait any longer. He pulled away and shifted her body fully onto the cot before kneeling before her, wrapping her legs around his hips. In one quick thrust he was inside her for the first time in a year. They both let out a moan of satisfaction.

"I had nearly forgotten how good you felt." He almost didn't want to move.

"Can say the same for you," she said, almost breathless. Her smile faded and she cupped his face gently. "We don't have much time."

He nodded in understanding and started to move, biting back a groan of pleasure. He let her reach between them, around his shackles, so she could unfasten the rest of his leathers. He shivered at her touch and his hips gave a sharp jerk as she ran her fingers over his bared chest and torso. He slowed his pace, wanting to make the most of what they could spend together. It was then he had a realization. "What should I do when—"

"I think you know."

He laughed between clenched teeth. "My naughty little minx…" He leaned up on his arms, keeping his shackles over her head. He wasn't able to take her as he used to, but he was able to at least give her shallow and hard thrusts. She sighed against his throat, her expression showing unadulterated pleasure. She clenched around his harder self and he hissed, burrowing into her shoulder to press against her neck. "I'm so sorry for leaving you alone."

"Things happen. Don't- don't apologize." She lifted her hips for him, letting him slip in a bit deeper, making them both gasp. "We both went through more than we should have. What matters now is that we are here, alive, together."

He scoffed, still not stopping his pace. "Yes but if the guards were to change before you left…"

"If." She trailed her fingers over his neck, making him shiver again. "They won't change, we're together again, and, for another positive note, we're not parents." She looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm not."

He gave her a hard thrust of his hips. "Don't tempt me to change that statement." He resumed his gentle pace. "I'm not exactly father of the year, anyway."

"You also didn't give a damn about the mothers before."

"None of them were my friends first." He jerked slightly as her hands wandered under his jacket and down his still clothed back. "I can't keep going this slow…"

"Do what you have to." She leaned up and silenced them both with a scorching kiss as he picked up his pace. They pulled in heavy breaths through their noses, not daring to break their connection. Their expressions turned strained with pleasure and they both moaned and sighed against the other's skin.

"Call for me, Dyre," he said against her lips.

"Loki!"

"Again."

A wave of an orgasm washed over her, catching her voice in her throat for a moment. Even through her climax he was relentless. "Loki!"

He clenched his jaws together as he felt her climax around him again. "Once more, Love. Who do you belong to? Who do you still love?"

"You, Loki! It's always been you!"

He went lightheaded as his climax hit a breaking point. "I'm at my limit, Dyre."

She knew what he meant. As soon as he pulled out she got to her knees, pulling as much as she could of him into her mouth. He wound his fingers through her hair and moved her how he wanted, letting her use her hands to help. Within moments he released down her throat with a guttural moan, amazed that they had both lasted so long.

Once sure the last drop was spent he pulled back, fascinated with the fact she had allowed him to do that. "I apologize for not being better prepared."

She shocked him again by licking her lips. "That would be my fault, dear."

He chuckled and stood, adjusting his leathers. He froze in place as the chime of metal hitting concrete sounded.

He saw her frown and bend down to pick up the circle of silver crowned by an ornate diamond. "What is this?"

"Must've fallen in my clothes during New York." He took in her scrutinizing gaze and cast his eyes away, his lips pressed in a thin smile. He let out a breath of a chuckle as she still examined it. "You know I'm lying."

"Of course. I've gotten very good at recognizing your tells." She took his hand and pressed the ring to his palm. "For now, I say we wait and see what happens."

He laughed again. "That was the plan, before you threw a wrench in my ideas." His smile fell, as did hers. "The guards may wake soon before you can get back to the hall safely."

"I know."

He watched her dress in silence, mulling over what had just happened. As she tied her robe back together, he broke the quiet. "Did you mean it? When you said it was always me?"

She gave him a sly smile as she pulled her black locks from the robe. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I would, actually."

"You have your secrets, I have mine." She picked up the keys, gripping them tightly. "I don't know when I'll see you again."

"Soon, I'd imagine." He stepped forward, shackles clanking as they tapped against his legs. "As much as I don't regret what we did, you can't come back here. Not like this."

She cast her gaze away. "I know."

He made her look at him again. "However, I may need a certain alchemist to bring me a sleeping draught. I have been through hell the past year. Restful sleep is a rarity these days." It wasn't a lie. He knew he probably still looked like he was hit with a truck, though this time just in his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to sleep without being painfully woken.

"I'll clear a place in my schedule with my long list of patients." She rolled her eyes but stepped into him, and he allowed the action. He raised the shackles over her head so he could hold her close for just a moment. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." He regretfully pulled back. "You have to leave."

She nodded and wiped at her eyes where a tear fell from her restraint. She ducked out from his shackles and retreated to the door. With a last look over her shoulder she unlocked the cell door and left.

He ran a hand through his hair and sat back down on the cot, still waiting for his heart to calm itself. He stared at the ring, studying every curve the diamond's setting made. He shook his head and stuffed it back into his jacket. Without another word he laid back on the cot, attempting what he could of sleep.


	28. Loss

Dyre shifted her basket of herbs, wandering the streets of Asgard's commons. The palace was too quiet, and far too many memories lied in the halls. When she wasn't feeling overly tired, or sick in the morning, she kept herself immersed in her work. She kept her condition from everyone but Thor. He was the only one left she could trust. The thunder god had needed good news after everything he had gone through.

However, Dyre wasn't sure if it was good news or not. She had found out almost four months ago, but still didn't know if it was what she wanted. She didn't know if she could handle that sort of memory. She didn't know if she could look at her child, and not feel saddened by his loss. She wasn't even sure if she was ready to be a mother. Eir had said the maternal instincts would kick in soon, but that was a month prior. Dyre felt no love for the growth lying dormant in her belly. She only felt regret.

She stopped at a stand that sold a particular herb she was looking for to curb her nausea. She heard a conversation between two older women, thinking nothing of it. Women gossiped no matter what the age. She almost dropped her basket as the conversation turned familiar.

"Loki's child, that's right."

"Such a shame. I thought she was such a nice girl."

"I'm sure he used his silver tongue to coerce her into his bed."

Tears stung in her eyes and she blinked them away. The women had no idea she could hear them.

"Can you believe the nerve of the prince though? Knocking up the poor girl and then—"

"He probably didn't even know. With his habits, he was probably busy with several other women. Was probably too busy to notice."

Dyre gripped the wooden sales table hard as the herbalist gathered her wares. They had the gall to question what they didn't understand?

" _No one will understand what we have. Only we will know the truth. I do love you, Dyre. Do not think otherwise."_

She focused on the conversation again, her magic simmering under the surface.

"I pity her for having that burden placed upon her. The child will be born a bastard."

"Nothing can be done about that. We'll just have to hope it does not grow up to be like its father."

Dyre paid the herbalist with shaky hands and walked away, fighting back her tears. She looked back at the women, who finally turned their conversation elsewhere. They sat on a porch of their shop in wooden chairs, people watching most likely. Both were graying, round women, spinsters most likely. One leaned back in her chair, and the wood protested against her weight. Dyre let a grin slip and twisted her wrist. The back leg of the chair vanished and the woman fell backwards with a shriek.

Her smile quickly fell as their words hovered in her mind. Her shopping done for the day, she quickly returned to the palace, not stopping for anything.

* * *

She intended to go right back to the healing room to fix herself a draught to ease her nausea. She was stopped by a passing guard who told her to look in on Thor. With a frown she did as asked, remembering her way to his chambers with ease. She knocked before entering and saw the man sitting up in his bed, a little paler than usual. "Are you feeling ill?"

"In a way. I suppose you would feel this way from time to time."

She was confused for only a moment before her sadness returned. "Yes. But I've accepted there is nothing that can be done. He is alive somewhere. We can only hope he will return someday. As for yours… I'm not sure."

Thor nodded and got out of bed, staring out his open balcony. "How have you been feeling lately?"

"Tired, sore, fat. The usual." She set her basket down on the table next to his uneaten breakfast. "Though I was not expecting the news to travel to the public. I wonder how that got out, Thor."

He turned to her, clearly confused. "I've told no one of your condition. What do you mean the public knows?"

"Just as I said, they know. I-I heard two women talking about it."

"How do you know they meant you?"

"The first words I heard were 'Loki's child'. He was only with me before he left. He had no time to be elsewhere. Who else would it be?"

Thor flinched and sat on the couch as she did. "What did they say?"

She tried to talk, but an unexpected lump formed in her throat. She swallowed to try and push it away, only to feel it sting her as she tried. "Awful things," she said, hating how her voice cracked. Her eyes watered up and she blinked a few times, gathering her restraint. "That he-he coerced me to his bed, that he didn't care at all, that he only used me." She swallowed again. "That they pitied me because the child will be a bastard. That it will be a shame if it grows up to be like its father." She rubbed at her eyes. "I don't want this, Thor. I can't— I can't be a mother to his child."

The thunder god took her in his arms and let her break down. They hadn't been as close as they grew up compared to the bond she shared with his brother, but he still card for her, very much so. He hated seeing her hurting.

"What if he never comes back? I'll have the offspring to remind me of him every day. I can't do it."

"You can, Dyre. This is a life. A real life. Something you both created. Think of it as a good thing. You can tell the child stories of its father, of how he really was."

She leaned back in his grasp and shook her head. "No. I couldn't. You know how he was. Even with me he didn't have a heart of gold. He cared, yes, but he wasn't a changed man. He was a trickster, he was chaos. He loved this misfortune of others. Do not think that behind bedroom doors he was a different man."

Thor looked away. "I had assumed he loved you deeply. That things were different when you were alone."

"Not by much. The only difference was that I could strike back. Without my magic, I don't think I could have met his pace. He's a man who needs entertainment. Provide it, and he is easier to handle. If not, you will become his entertainment." She stood once Thor let go and she rubbed at her arms. "How can I dress up stories of him to make him seem like a hero when he wasn't?"

"He saved your life."

"Yes, but for a price." She stared out the open doors leading to his balcony. "You and I both know if he wasn't stuck in that house with me for the month this would have never happened. If I had not discovered my magical abilities, it would have never lasted this long. There would have been an occasional fling here and there when he felt like it, but that would have been it. I would have stood to the side as he took random women to bed, and he would have stood aside as I took men. He only took what was ripe for the taking."

"That isn't… entirely true."

"Then it is true for the most part." She looked back to Thor, ignoring a budding pain in her gut. She brushed it off as a strange form of nausea. "However, things did go how they did. But for the year I was with him, do you know how long it took for anything to come of it?"

He shook his head. "We had assumed you secretly loved each other from the time you came home, no matter how much you two denied it."

"It took ten months and a third of Asgardian Amber for anything to change. Children demand stories of romance on how their parents met, thinking it's something of magic." She gripped on to the back of the sofa as the pain hit her again. "How do I tell them 'Your father and I were sex friends for ten months before we stopped being stubborn jackasses and confessed we wanted to be more than friends'?" She started feeling a little shaky and gripped the sofa harder. "How do I tell them that their father was an opportunist?"

Thor started looking concerned. "Dyre, are you feeling alright?"

In fact, she wasn't. The pain hit her again. "I'm not sure." Her blood ran cold. "Something's wrong with the baby."

He was at her side in a second, holing her up. "Can you walk?"

"I-I don't know."

He hefted her into his arms and took her into the hallway. "We're going to see your mother."

She bit down as another wave of pain washed over her. _Not like this..._


	29. Alternate Mindset

A month had passed since Malak's trial. Everything calmed down, and life returned to normal. As normal as it could be after the hardships the elf had provided. In a way, he had given Dyre a new start, an escape. She left her bathroom fully dressed, regretting her agreement to stay in the healing room that whole day. The magic she was still refining helped tremendously, but it still didn't ease the boredom. Luckily, she had a distraction to steal her away from her work every so often for a few minutes of fun in a nearby closet. It wasn't much, but when she was so far from their hallway and she couldn't be gone long, it was a welcomed respite.

He had been gone for a few days that week, and so she was left without her breaks, which reminded her just how much her mother thought she didn't know. Every few minutes she was asked a question, and when seeing a patient, her mother would hover. It was getting to the point that Dyre was getting tempted to put sleeping draught in her mother's tea. She loved the woman, of course, but there was only so much Dyre could take without her outlet for frustration.

She fought against the urge to go back to bed and made her way out of her room, down the corridor that housed both her room and his, as well as a few other spares. As she approached his door, it opened, and a servant woman emerged from it, adjusting her dress. The woman bowed and left in the direction of the main corridors. Dyre felt a flash of anger and opened his door again. "I wasn't even aware you were back," she spat out before she realized he was fully clothed, laying out on his couch, reading a book he had taken from her shelf when they returned from Midgard.

He glanced over the paperback at her. "I arrived early this morning with the others. I wasn't about to wake you before dawn."

"But I see you can wake a servant woman."

He grinned and let the paperback dip down a bit, making her want to eat her words. "I wasn't aware we had an exclusive relationship, Love." He shrugged and sat up, tossing the book on his table next to food she just noticed. "However, it is not what you think. I have options, though I haven't looked." The grin only widened. "Is my mistress jealous?"

"I'm not."

"Please, you can't lie to me." He finally turned his attention away from her, on to his uneaten breakfast. "So why are you here?"

"Was on my way to the healing room when I noticed… you were back. I thought I'd say good morning. Forget it though."

He only glanced at her. "Now why would I lie with another woman when you're such a feisty wildcat?"

She noticed the playful tone of his voice, saw his pale green eyes darken in lust. "Down, boy. Your wildcat has work to do."

He shifted off the couch with a scoff. "Your mother won't even notice."

"My absence? I'm sure she will. She has to pass this door to get to mine. With how we are, she'd hear for sure."

He phase shifted behind her and held on to her frame. "Let her hear." His breath tickled her ear. "I wouldn't care if the whole palace heard us."

She laughed as he began hiking her dress up. "Don't, I really have to go."

"Mm, do you? Or are you making up excuses?"

She managed to fight him off, but didn't get far as he chased her and caught her around the middle, leaving her squealing in laughter. "Really, Loki, I have work to do."

He turned her around and her laughter faded. "If that's the case, I should send for the slave again. She seems more than willing to do what you're denying me."

Something in her snapped. She narrowed her eyes and curled her lip. Without a word she shoved him back. His knees collided with his bed, making him fall to the sheets, holding himself up. She straddled his hips and tore his shirt open, hearing a few of the buttons fall to the stone floors.

He, however, only let out an amused purr. "There's my little sex kitten."

She bore her teeth at him, their lips hovering a mere inch apart. "You're infuriating."

"I'm glad you caught on." He held on to her shoulders. "Before we do anything, I brought something back from Midgard."

She arched a brow in confusion as he shifted her off his legs. "I wasn't aware you were in Midgard."

"There were a few things there I wanted to retrieve. While I was there I ran into very interesting Midgardians."

"They must have been if you didn't kill them." She watched him reach into the cabinet next to his bed for something. "What is so important that can't wait?"

He chuckled. "You were in such a rush to leave, and then you rip my shirt to get me half naked and want to jump me. You should have your hormones checked." He found what he was looking for and sat next to her again. In between his fingers was a tightly rolled piece of paper with something inside it.

"And this is supposed to be…?"

"Fun. Well, it was when I first did this."

"How is a rolled up piece of paper fun?"

He laughed again. "No, it's what's inside it. It makes things… interesting."

"Uh-huh." She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll try it. What do I do?"

"Your father smoked, right?"

"Yes."

"Same thing." He placed it between his lips and lit it to get it going, taking a few pulls to get the end smoldering, letting smoke out in rich white clouds. He took one large pull and held it in for a moment before letting the smoke out his nose, coughing a bit. "Your turn."

She took the object, smelling a rich, earthy aroma form the ember. "What will this do exactly?"

"It does different things to everyone. Some get hungry, some philosophical, some giggly, and some extremely horny."

"Let me guess, it makes you horny."

"No. You'll see."

With a sigh she put it between her lips as she watched him do and took a deep pull. She wasn't expecting the harsh burning sensation that hit her throat as she did, making her have a small coughing fit. "The fuck was that?" she managed to get out as she bent over. "Don't tell me that's what it does."

"For awhile. You get used to it." He took the remainder and waited for her to calm down again. He took another hit and instead of holding it in his lungs he tilted her head up and kissed her, releasing the smoke into her mouth. He grinned against her lips and placed the rest of it in an ashtray he had set on the surface of his cabinet. "Hopefully that didn't burn as harsh."

"No." She sighed as he pushed her gently to her back, refusing to leave her lips for a moment. She ran her hands over his exposed skin, making him push harder. Her head began to feel like it was floating, more than it usually did when he pinned her down. Any time she tilted it she saw a split second dark shadow.

He pulled away, content to just give her a knowing grin as her expression changed to slight curiosity. "You won't feel the full effects lying down." He helped her up and she felt a second of dizziness before everything righted again. "How are you feeling?"

"Strange. A good strange though." She put a hand to her face, touching her cheek. "I'm super aware of my skin for some reason though."

He tried stifling his laughter, but it was easier said than done.

"I mean it. It's all tingly."

"I believe you. So what do you think?"

She nodded a few times, her eyes still curious. "I'm a lot more relaxed."

"Good to hear." He sat back in his bed, taking her with him. He almost groaned at how good it felt to touch her.

"I'm not even worried about my mother," she said. "I need a break away from her. She's driving me crazy."

"She worries. She has a right to."

She shrugged, her eyes growing a little heavy. "I suppose. But I have very little chances to steal away from work under her watch."

"I'm aware. We need to find a better place besides a broom closet. That would have been acceptable when we were children. It's a pain to do now."

She scoffed. "Coming to see me and being left with a broom closet is painful? Well I see how it is."

"No I mean the closet is painful. I've bruised my ass and my hips too often in there. If it's worth it to see you then I put up with it."

She was about to ask when he had bruised his ass, but remembered a day where she shoved him into what she thought was the flat door, but instead he hit the latch of the door. "Aw, so you do care when you visit. Should I start asking 'Hi Honey, how was your day?'"

He grinned and rolled over on top of her. "Yes, from now on you shall do as such. However, I prefer it when you call me your master."

She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. "Fine, from now on I'll ask my master to tell me of his day." She pushed at his shoulder. "But for now, I'd like it if my friend would talk to me."

He frowned but didn't move. "Something's bothering you, isn't it?"

"Wouldn't ask for my friend if something wasn't." She played with the ruined edges of his shirt. "How does this relationship work?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if… If I meet someone. What do we do?"

He hadn't put much thought into the topic. He was happy where he was in life. She listened to his every word, as a friend or as a lover. In return, he did the same. "Have you?"

"No, I haven't. But, if I do, what happens?"

He nodded down at them both. "This stops. We move on. We stay friends for as long as we can, ruining people's lives until we're old and grey. And even then."

She laughed at him, feeling a little more at ease. "That sounds like a good idea. Can't have anyone else having happy lives, can we?"

"Now that I have help I can get to the other half I'd missed before. Would you be satisfied with being a sidekick?"

Dyre snorted, unable to keep her composure. She rolled on her side under him, unable to breathe through her giggles as he curled up beside her. "Side-sidekick? Really" She elbowed his chest. "Partner in crime."

He chuckled. "Fine, an argument can be made for partner."

"Hm, companion of chaos!"

"Associate of animosity."

"Colleague."

"Girlfriend." Their laughter stopped short as the words flew past his filter. "Friend that happens to be a girl— woman."

"Yeah." She nodded, looking over her shoulder at him. "I'd be fine with any of those."

He nodded towards his washroom, wanting to take the conversation anywhere else. "Care to join me?"

* * *

He sighed in satisfaction as he slipped into the hot water of the ornate tub. The water would normally feel relaxing on its own, but with the added effects of before, it felt even more amazing. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back as it felt like millions of tiny hands were rubbing out all the tight nerve endings of his skin. He felt a pleasant shock run through his body and he purred as she slipped in as well, leaning her back to his chest. Immediately his arms were around her, tracing small circles in her skin as she used him for support, her head back against his shoulder. He watched her little smiles of pleasure as he would hit sensitive spots.

Pleasure erupted from every touch of his fingers, and she couldn't contain her soft moans. When his fingers dipped lower, her last logical thought left her. She gave a sly grin as she reached below her legs for him, feeling him already stiff with excitement.

He hissed and almost stopped his finger's strokes. He hadn't expected something so basic to make his blood boil. But as her fingers tightened around him and began to move with the help of the water, he had to grip on to her leg with his other hand to keep himself focused on pleasing her.

She leaned back against him, pulling him closer to kiss him as he brought her climax to the surface.

Her stokes and her cries of pleasure were bringing him too close. He had never felt so sensitive before. His hips jerked out of his control and he felt his muscles tighten for a moment. He clenched his teeth together, feeling a rush of hormones hit him at once. "That's it Love, almost there." He growled as his climax hit him hard, his head tilting against the back of the tub, the whole while continuing to give her pleasure as well.

She felt the slicker liquid rush past her fingers underwater, but she kept going, drawing it out as long as she could. Once told to stop, she took both her hands back and held on to his legs, her nails digging into his skin. Her senses were on overdrive, especially to his touch. The tingle in her gut flew all the way down to her toes and back up to her mind before her back arched and a scream of pleasure left her lips and he had to hold her legs down with his to keep them spread and in place. She tried to tell him it was enough be another wave washed over her before she could, and her mind went blank for a moment, a soft "enough" escaping her mouth. As soon as he slowed to a stop she fell back to his chest, both completely spent for the time being. She chuckled.

"What?"

"I don't think I've ever made you come with just my hand before."

He put on a thoughtful frown. "No, I don't think you have." He shrugged. "First time for everything."His bedroom door slamming closed made them both jump, especially when they heard who it belonged to and they knew they had no chance of running. "Oh fuck," he muttered through his teeth.

"Loki, Eir is looking for—" The thunder god started to stalk into the open washroom and immediately shielded his eyes. "Why is it any time I'm sent to fetch her I find you both in such positions?"

"If you'd start knocking, Brother, you wouldn't," he said stiffly as they both covered her, she out of embarrassment and he out of possession. "She came to me."

"I wasn't expecting him to distract me for so long," she said, her head starting to return to normal.

Thor turned his back, still shielding his eyes. "Just get dressed and go to your mother and I'll forget I ever saw anything, and I mean anything." He stalked away and they heard the door close again.

Loki let his head fall back as she got out of the water. "Stop letting me forget to lock that godforsaken door." He looked over at her as she dried off. "Still fine?"

She nodded. "Fine enough to deal with my mother. At least I'm a bit more relaxed."

He folded his arms over the side of the tub and watched her redress. "So am I coming by later?"

"Are you?"

"Maybe." He leaned back in the tub, enjoying the rest of the warm water. He smiled and moaned as she ran her fingers over his temples before she left. "I'll think about it.

"Well then, I may or may not see you later."

He listened for his bedroom door to close again before hefting himself out of the tub to dry off. He'd have to keep more of that stuff around. If just her fingers could coax him to climax, he wanted to know what everything else would feel like. He kept the towel around his waist and returned to his room, laying out on his couch once more. The novel caught his eye and he looked at the cover. With a shrug he picked it up again, resuming his place before his interruptions.


	30. Focus

"No, Woman. Focus."

"I'm trying!" Dyre took a deep breath to regain her focus, pooling her magic into her open palm. Just as she let out a laugh of surprise the magic sputtered and faded away.

"You're distracted."

She glared at her hand, listening to the surf. "I'll get over it."

Loki clicked his tongue and stood form his chair on the porch and moved behind her. "What has your attention?"

"It does not matter."

He shrugged. "If you say so." He took her hand and pointed to a crease near the center. "Focus on here." He let her hand go and watched carefully as she concentrated and brought her magic to her palm again. The dark sphere let off a few separate licks of magic, but it stayed in place until she dismissed it.

She let out a breath of a laugh. "I did it!"

"Congratulations. One spell down, hundreds more to go."

Her happiness was cut short as she groaned and leaned her head back to look at him. "Alright, what's next?"

He found himself distracted by her exposed throat. "No more magic for now. We'll spar."

"Fine."

He watched her stand, tugging the shorts down her legs to put them in place. She wasn't bad in hand-to-hand combat. On the contrary, she was surprisingly nimble and while her blows did not hurt on their own, when she mastered her magic it would do more than tickle.

She had been distracted upon his return from Asgard, most likely due to their… relationship. The plan had only been to take her purity, as a friend, and then return to a normal friendship. He would stand aside as she found men to see, and she would stand aside as he took a random woman to his bed occasionally and send her away. The sudden twist to his plan wasn't expected, forcing him to be confined with her, discovering she had accesses to the recessive magic genes.

He had planned on remaining friends with her. He had known her almost all his life, so he found no point in turning her away. However, he found himself wanting her in his bed again. It could have been due to any number of things, but it didn't stop him from thinking it. From her distracted attitude, he could tell she thought of it as well.

"I thought we were sparring?"

He had to be sure of what her distraction was. Without looking at her he pulled his black tank off, tossing it over the chair she had been sitting in. "No magic, no weapons, no fighting dirty." He glanced at her, seeing her look away. He couldn't stop his sly grin. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head and looked back to him. "Nothing at all." She held her ground as he stood in front of her in the sand. "Are there any other rules?"

"Physical contact is encouraged." He took a defensive stance while she took an offensive. "You can't hurt me yet anyway."

She narrowed her eyes but darted forward, delivering calculated blows that he easily knocked away.

He found himself distracted again. Had this never happened, had her father not been killed, and had the elf never appeared, he never would have thought to keep her in his bed. An occasional release would have been in order, but it would have never been consecutively. His encounters in the past never lasted more than a night, besides the woman that delivered Hela into the world. All of those had been secret drunken encounters that not many knew about. After Sleipner, he swore off taverns for good. And gender swapping spells.

The woman before him was different. She was the only one he had known all his life, one of the only people to want to spend time with him. She had been his first crush, his first kiss, and he had been hers. He was also the first one she had experienced an orgasm with. He supposed that was why it was hard to turn her away. Even after their first night together he kept her there, and wanted to go again in the morning.

He didn't love her, he knew that. He didn't feel the need to sweep her off her feet, to proclaim anything for her, and certainly felt no desire to eventually ask for her hand. He did, however, feel the need to mark her, claim her as his, to make her writhe and scream in pleasure beneath him. He wanted her to submit to his desires. He wanted it to be like it was, laughing and jesting and making lives miserable. To just spend time with someone who accepted what he did with his life, and even encouraged it.

He'd been pleased with her choice of magic use. While she wanted to use it to help in her medical arts, she mainly wanted to help him cause trouble. Given how she was when they were children, it had been expected. What wasn't expected was her parrying his guard and delivering a particularly sharp punch to his jaw, splitting his lip. " _Faen_ , Dyre!" His hand automatically rested against his bleeding lip.

She dropped her stance immediately, putting her hands over her mouth in horror. "Loki, I'm so sorry." She tentatively reached up and pulled his hand from his lip, laying a finger of her own over the injury. With a focus of will she sealed it up, leaving nothing but the blood as evidence.

She expected him to be angry with her. Instead, he shocked her by letting out a short chuckle. "I take back what I said about not being able to hurt me."He touched his lip, still feeling a lingering stinging sensation. "I don't remember ever teaching you that one."

She looked relieved. "Thor did."

"You sparred with Thor and he didn't tackle you to the ground and put you in a hold?" Despite his teasing words, he felt a sickening feeling in his gut at the mere thought of her under his brother in any way.

"Once or twice, but I bit him to remind him I still was a girl." She shrugged and stepped away, clasping her hands behind her back. "That's why I liked spending time with you. You never forced me to the ground." She pulled a thoughtful look. "Not yet, anyway."

He held up a finger. "I held you to the wall of the shower."

"True."

A grin accompanied his teasing finger. "Am I to believe you want me to bed you again?"

She seemed to realize what she said and quickly turned her attention to the sea. "The tide is coming in."

"So it is." Without warning he put a hand to her back and tipped her into his arms, making her squeal. He made his approach to the ocean. "I think you need to cool down a little."

She held tight onto his neck as waves began to lap up to his ankles quickly. "Loki, don't you dare—!"

"Dare what? I wouldn't dare do anything to my— oops!" With a grin he turned his back to a large wave that splattered both of them, loving her playful shriek and laugh.

"I don't need cooling off!" She curled tighter to his chest as a higher wave soaked the rest of her and she gave up fighting. She clenched her teeth in a playful grin, hissing out, "You're an ass."

"And yet you're still friends with me. What is the secret behind that?"

"You two always seemed to be trying to impress me." She shook her head. "I always thought you were stupid little boys."

He gave a mischievous growl. "I'm not so little anymore."

She arched her brow and tilted her head. "I've noticed. You're at least a head taller than me, you weed." Her eyes went wide and she shrieked as a wave licked over her back, making her press against his chest again. "Seriously, let me go, you prat!"

He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Fine." With a slight jerk he tossed her into the ocean, listening to her shriek cut short as she fell under the surface.

She came back up, flipping her hair behind her, riding out another wave. "You're a smart ass as well as a regular ass!"

"It's better to be smart than dumb."

She stood on the sand and made her way back to shore. "At least I'm not a stupid boy!"

He laughed and followed her. "I'm a boy now?"

She stopped and looked back at him, seeing his boyish smile. She smirked and pushed on his face, sending him back into the water. "As mischievous as always."

He stood back up. "You haven't seen anything yet, love."

With a yelp she fought against the water until she was free from its grasp, rushing on to the shore. However, she forgot about his phase shifting abilities. She laughed as he caught her around the middle and pinned her down in the sand, trapping all the water from the ocean on to their clothes.

"What do you have to say for yourself now?"

"That you're still an idiot!" She giggled and twitched as he ran a hand over her skin lightly where her camisole had slipped up her chest. "Stop! Loki, that's not fair!"

He pinned her legs down as well and grinned. He finally let up, allowing her to catch her breath. It was then his mirth faded. He realized how close they were, how flushed her cheeks were as she fought to regulate her heart rate. The droplets of water were reflecting the sunlight of the early afternoon. He cleared his throat and got up. "We should probably eat something."

She almost looked disappointed as she sat up, not bothering to pull her wet green camisole down. "Um, yeah. We should." She shifted to her feet, wiping the sand off her hands. "I'll reheat something. Can you find something to keep us entertained?"

He nodded. "I can do that."

Without a word she turned her back to him and entered the house at a quicker pace than normal.

* * *

The empty plates sat on the glass table in the living room as candles burned in the background. The final scene of a movie played on the TV attached to the wall, and the two of them worked on their third glass of wine. They sat fairly close on the couch, making fun of the movie. "Who are these Midgardians trying to fool?" Dyre said, feeling tipsy from her wine. "What woman in her right mind would chase a man?"

"If he's worth the chase, why not?" he responded with a shrug as they snorted at the roommate's unfortunate blow job incident. "Some may be strange enough to follow through."

She shifted to lay on his chest and he raised his arm to allow her to do so. She sighed against the fabric of his shirt. "Possibly. I couldn't though." She shrugged. "Something like love shouldn't make you crazy like that overnight. Meet a guy a few times, and then he's gone. It wasn't meant to be."

"What if he was? Besides, it wouldn't take a long time to decide if you are interested in learning more about a person."

She pulled a look of thought. "I think I'd prefer history. Taking it slow. If it happens, it happens. Have fun in the process."

He chuckled and took her empty glass, placing it on the table with his. "Is that right?" He ran a hand up her thigh. "What sort of fun?"

She gave a purr of a laugh and ran her bare leg over his clothed one. "Can think of something. I was good with my lessons today."

"Mm, you were a very good girl today." He grinned. "I believe we can think of something." She gave a slight squeal as he knelt over her on the couch, flattening her to her back. "Good girls deserve a reward."

She bit her lip, making him hold back a moan at the sight. His hands ran up her belly, underneath the loose camisole she had wiped off earlier. Her breath hitched in her throat as he slipped his fingers over her skin, trailing over her nipples. She sat up slightly and he helped her out of the shirt, tossing it over his shoulder without a second thought. She took his lips in a frantic kiss and he responded in kind, laying her back on the couch again. He trailed his tongue down to lavish the tops of her breasts, making her arch slightly.

He still needed to learn her body, to learn what made her squirm. He felt her legs wrap around his hips and he drove them against her center, making her gasp at the friction. "Where do you want me to touch you?"

She trailed her fingers up his arm. "You're the expert. You tell me."

His hand traced patterns into her skin as he shifted her leg more securely around his hip. "Not that easy, Dyre." He leaned over, his breath tickling her ear. "Where—" he rolled his hips forward again, "—do you want me—" he did it again, making her sigh into his neck, "—to touch you?""

"T-there."

"Where?" He pulled her earlobe between his teeth and bit gently. "Here?"

"Don't be horrid."

He chuckled into her skin and pressed his lips to her throat. "What about here?" He laughed harder against her frustrated growl. "Or even here?" He traced the contours of her breasts.

"You're enjoying this." She held back a moan as he rolled his hips into her again. Her head fell back as he continued to tease her skin, growing more and more frustrated as he went. She squeaked as he straightened her legs against his chest and deftly unbuttoned her shorts, yanking them and her panties off her hips. With her legs still in place he pressed his lips to the skin, grinning as he caught her eye. "You're being insufferable," she groaned.

He watched her in fascination as she fought with herself. "Come now, you can't be vulgar?" He put her legs around his hips again and leaned over to her throat. "You can't tell me to make your pussy tremble?" He licked the ribbed outlines of her trachea. "To make your clit want more?" She groaned in irritation. "Be a good girl and tell me what you want."

She fought against what was left of her filter. "Make my pussy drip."

Excitement rushed up his spine as he did just that, circling his fingers around her slit, just barely touching the more sensitive flesh. He could smell the arousal in the air from both of them. Just when she couldn't take it any longer his fingertips circled her clit and she arched her back against him, pressing her lips together as she fought off her release.

She was fighting a losing battle, made even harder as he played with her breasts with his other hand, stroking her sensitive nipples with precision. Her breaths came out shorter, her cries more pronounced. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, holding the locks between her fingers as she kissed him, instantly feeling his tongue dancing with hers. Her body started to twitch out of her control. Without a warning her coil snapped and she bucked out of the way of his fingers, mewling against his lips.

As she tried to regulate her breathing he leaned back on his heels and unfastened his pants, wincing as he freed himself from clothes that seemed to have shrunk. "I think my good girl deserves another reward for doing well." He stroked himself to keep him firm as she glanced at him in post-orgasmic lust. "On your knees, my pet." He groaned and tightened his grip as she rolled over on the couch, rising up on her knees and palms. He rubbed around her slit, teasing himself with her warm passage. "Up a bit. That's it, love." He pushed against her entrance, needing to take it slow still. He'd only taken her twice before, and twice was all the experience she had. She was just as tight as the first night, made even tighter by how she was kneeling.

She took him by surprise as she leaned back to meet his strokes, giving a loud moan each time he would slip further inside. He wondered if she would continue to surprise him. The first time had been long ago, when she had accepted his advances and they shared their first kiss. When he first took her, again he had been amazed she had accepted his teasing words as truth. She had been caught watching human porn and then used one of the lines to get him to fuck her in the shower. She wanted to continue using her magic for mischief. She had busted his lip. She had been just vulgar enough to make his cock quiver. And, he realized as a moan passed through his clenched teeth, she would make him come. He leaned back and pulled his tank off again, throwing it without bothering to remember the direction, not slowing his pace for a second.

He gripped her hair and tilted her head back, exposing her throat, making her moan louder. He felt her tighten around him and he leaned over, pressing his chest to her back. The contact of her skin made him light-headed as he pressed his lips to her shoulder blade and held her close to his chest. He was getting close, but he wasn't ready to let the game end too soon. He wanted to know just how far she would step into the shadows with him. "Do you know how good you feel, pet?"

"Mm, how-how good?"

"You fit around me so perfectly." He purred as she tightened again. "Who would've thought a virgin medicine woman would be such a good fuck?"

She let out a defiant laugh around her moans. "Who would've thought a quiet prince would be such a dominant man? Do- do you have something to prove?"

He bit into her skin, making her cry out in pleasure. "I'm claiming what is mine." He tilted her chin up, dropping his voice to a low, breathy rumble as he pressed against her ear. "You will submit to me when I wish you to. You will obey my every command." He bit her earlobe before hovering by it. "You will call me your master when we are doing your lessons and when I fuck you." He leaned back on his ankles again, pulling her with him to make her kneel over his lap. His head swam at the different position, and he could see her body in full. The position was a little more difficult and straining. He pressed his finger to her clit, pushing it against his thrusting pace. "Is that understood, my wildcat?"

She covered his hand with hers, urging him on. "I understand."

He lifted her hips high enough so he slipped out of her warm sheath, listening to her whimper. "You understand, what?"

"I understand, my master."

He let out a sharp chuckle as he forced her hips on to him again. He hissed as she moaned and arched back against him. "That's better." He shifted all the way to his back, moving his legs for better leverage. "You'll have to work for your last reward. Ride your master. Show me you want this." He groaned as she did just that, leaning back and holding herself up with her arms. He gripped on to her hips while she rocked on him. He slipped his fingers back down to her clit, feeling her walls tighten again. "Mm, yes. Just like that."

She let out a breathy laugh as her pace slowed down. "Are we really doing this?"

He grinned below her. "Having regrets? It's a little late for that, love." He gave her a particularly hard stroke. "The damage is already done."

"No, mm. Are we really still—" She cried out as he drove her over the edge again, "—Still having sex? I thought it was a onetime thing? Twice, ah, twice counting the shower." She moved her hand to encircle the base of him between her thumb and index finger. "I wasn't aware you took women to bed more than once."

He quickened the strokes of both his hips and fingers at the increase in pressure. "T-things change. I've also never fucked my best friend."

She purred and arched her back. "Am I really?"

He bit his nails into the skin of her hips and chuckled. "Don't push your luck." He could feel her quiver. "I take it my wildcat is getting close…"

She tensed up for a moment, a strangled cry rising from her throat. "I am."

"Scream for me, Dyre."

She began to fidget against his strokes, her cries almost whimpers at how good he felt inside her. Knowing he was the cause of her pleasure went to his head. She tilted her head back. "Powers above, don't stop, Master."

"I don't plan on it." He relished her quick high pitched moans and pressed on as she squeezed him tightly in her climax. "Fuck, Dyre…" Her cries were like a sweet tune to his ears, forcing a ripple of excitement to tear down his spine. As soon as her body was spent he paused his strokes, letting her catch her breath. "Lay on your back."

Almost in a daze she did as she was told. He gave her only a moment to take his pants off completely before he was on her again, bracing one leg on the floor as he slipped inside her again. "I see someone still hasn't come."

He chuckled. "I've been holding back. You had yours, now I want mine." He held on to her hips and slammed in to her as fast as he could, seeking only his release. At her escalating moans and sighs, she was ready to come again. It didn't take much time before he reached his limits. "That's it, love. Almost there." With a few more rough thrusts he pulled out and finished off on her stomach, both of them struggling to catch their breaths.

She tentatively reached up and touched his face. "So can I call you Loki again?"

He let out a breath of a laugh. "You always could. I just love hearing you submit to me."

She shook her head but smiled all the same. "You're lucky I have a fascination with being dominated. But I mean can you be my friend again?"

He frowned and looked down at her. "When you're not naked. You're a bit of a distraction right now to just look at you as a friend." He got up and left her on the couch to fetch a spare towel from the hall closet, finding his legs had a slight tingle to them. He hadn't felt that before, not that he could remember. Many of the other times he had been so drunk he couldn't remember many of the past encounters. He came back with a cloth and saw her still sprawled out on the couch. He leaned against the archway that led to the bedroom hallway and tossed her the cloth from there. "I believe that is a proper rewards system."

She nodded. "I suppose it will suffice."

He arched a brow at her sly grin. "Suffice? I could take away your ability to walk if I truly desired it."

"Oh I'm sure you could," she said, her voice teasing. Her grin dropped as she looked away from his gaze. "What do we do now? Do we keep doing this?"

"If you want to. I won't force you to do anything you don't want. Even if I'm being playful." He reentered the room and sat on the couch next to her. "Since it helps with your focus, it shall continue to be a reward for doing well in your lessons. And it shall be a much needed release for both of us. Before you, it'd been some time for me as well." He leaned back in a corner of the couch. "Only if you want it."

She bit her lip and nodded.

"Well then." He held up his arm, letting her slip between him and the back of the couch, wrapping her leg around his. "I will take the deal. You've been keeping me surprised. I hope to keep seeing changes in you that will keep me on my defensive."

"Of course."

"We have a bargain. Sex for the rest of the time we're here."

She nodded again. "And then we resume being only friends when we return to Asgard."

"So long as you follow through with your lessons and help me terrorize the city."

Dyre gave him a sly grin. "When do we start?"


	31. Gifts

"Dyre, I learned a new move from Tyr. Would you like me to teach you?"

She was mildly interested. "Alright." She stood and dusted off her pants, standing next to Thor as they faced the straw practice dummy.

He lunged forward and immediately ducked, landing an uppercut to the dummy's jaw. He then spun around with a roundhouse kick to the face, followed by a flurry of blows. As a finishing move he gave one swift punch to the gut. He backed off and looked to her, a grin on his young face. "Your turn."

She shrugged but a movement by the entrance of the training area distracted her. She balled her hands into fists. In an instant she was imitating Thor's blows perfectly against the dummy, all except the last. "I don't remember this one; can you show me again?"

He nodded and took her place. "It's easy. Just punch the dummy like this." He ran at the dummy, preparing to punch it.

A straw arm came to life and grabbed his hand, bringing the young prince closer. "Who are you calling 'dummy?'"

Thor let out a startled sound and swiped at the straw while Dyre rolled on the ground laughing. His brother came out of the shadows, laughing as well. Thor glared at him. "Grow up, Loki!"

"Your form was sloppy," the young boy answered, shrugging and folding his arms behind his back. "I was merely saving you from embarrassment."

Dyre sat up, wiping her eyes. "Oh he wasn't so bad. Besides, what creature would expect a sloppy form from a prince?"

Thor turned on his brother. "You skip Tyr's lessons, you don't take battle seriously, and you think having magic makes you so special." He curled his lip. "It means you are a freak." He stormed out of the arena, leaving a thick tension in the air.

Dyre looked over to Loki, seeing his mischievous grin had faded. "Loki? Are you alright?"

He gave a stiff nod. "Not like I haven't heard it before." He looked to the dummy, curling his lip at the expressionless straw. "It isn't as if I enjoy it. I hate this burden. Everyone looks at me differently for having it. Even my own father dotes upon my brother more than I." In a snap of anger he threw a ball of magic at the dummy, setting it on fire. He cast his gaze to the ground. "It makes sense. The kingdom couldn't be ruled by a freak."

She had seen his temper flare occasionally, but this took the prize for angriest. Regardless she got up and stood in front of him, taking his hands. The shock of being touched made him look at her. "I don't think you're a freak."

"You should."

"But I don't." She nodded to the burning dummy behind her. "I think you're unique, interesting. How many people can do what you do?"

"Not many."

"And how many can swing a sword?"

"Almost everyone."

"Exactly." Her smile brightened. "I'd rather have a magic user for a friend than a barbarian. At least you make things fun."

He arched a brow. "And my brother is not fun?"

"He has his moments. He can't make me laugh like you though." She pulled away from him, but he yanked her into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Dyre."

She let out a breath of a laugh and hugged him in return. "Don't hate your gift. Use it to your advantage. I would if I could use magic."

He scoffed into her shoulder. "How?"

She pulled away, mischief in her blue eyes. "First off, let's pay the cooks a visit. Then, we'll find your brother and make sure the rest of his day is horrible."

He grinned. "And this is why you're my best friend."

She bowed and grabbed his hand, leading him out of the grounds. "The day is still young. We have a lot of work to do."

"Give me ideas and I'll see to doing them."

She gave him a sly smirk as he matched her pace. She may have been friends with his brother, but Thor deserved a day of misery for his deeds. "I don't think we'll have any trouble making him regret getting out of bed today."


	32. What Do You See?

It had been a stupid move on his part. He struck when he should have dodged, resulting in Fandral's sword cutting a gash into his cheek. His head had not been in battle. Not with his brother's coronation fast approaching, and not with the distractions of his personal life.

He pulled the cloth he had received from his brother away from his cheek, seeing it coated in red. He pressed it back and entered the double doors on his right. "I hope you're not— What on Asgard are you holding?"

Dyre turned around from stirring something in a bowl on the back table, a tired look on her face. Propped up on her hip was a small child, no older than half a year by the looks of it. "Mother had a lovely surprise waiting for me when I came here this morning. One of her friends had this child not too long ago, and needed time away from it. So, she volunteered me to watch it without regard for my feelings on the matter." She set her spoon down and shifted the child further up her hip. "Every time I put her down, she shrieks. I've had to do everything one handed today." She threw her free hand in the air. "What do I know about children?"

The whole time he had been distracted by how… suitable the look was on her. He shook his head. "So far as I know, not much. However, the role of mother looks good on you."

"Don't make me throw something at you. The only thing it could be is this child, and I doubt Magda would appreciate her daughter being turned into a projectile." She seemed to finally notice the cloth and her expression changed entirely. "Oh no. Loki, what did you do now?"

"I did nothing. Fandral's sword did the damage."

She sighed and approached him. "Why is it I see you injured more and more these days?"

"How else can I see my doctor?"

Dyre rolled her eyes and motioned for him to lower the cloth. She tilted his chin, assessing the depth. "It is deep, but not too bad."

He caught the infant's eyes, and the little girl began to coo. "I wasn't lying, you know. The motherly look suits you."

She shrugged and summoned healing energies to her fingers. "If it happens, it happens. Hopefully not for awhile yet." She pressed her fingers to his cut and slowly ran it over his skin, mending the flesh perfectly. Once all indications of his injury were gone, she took the cloth and got rid of the excess blood. "You should be fine now." Without warning she took the child from her hip and placed her in his hands. "I'll clean the cloth. Just take her for a bit."

He had no idea what to do at first. He held the child away at arm's length for a moment, studying the thing in his hands. The child only smiled and giggled, clapping her chubby hands together.

Dyre smiled. "Seems she likes you."

"I don't see why."

"Oh, don't be like that. I like you."

"For obvious reasons."

She scoffed. "Other than that." She turned her back to him, holding the cloth under running water.

He slowly began to accept the child and held it closer. "What is her name?"

"Marine." She rung the cloth out and turned around with a frown, not really looking at him. "Stupid name, in my opinion."

He chuckled as Marine tried to grab his nose. "What would you have named her?"

"Don't laugh, but Kaia." She looked up, expecting at least a chuckle, but was surprised to hear none. Instead, she was taken with the sight. "You know, the look isn't so bad on you either. Who knows? You could be a good father one day."

His nerves seized. He didn't have the heart to tell her he had already sired a few children, and had no intentions of being a father to them. "Possibly."

They both looked to the door as it opened again, and the room was filled with chatter between Eir and Magda. "We should do this again soon, dear. You shouldn't be cooped up with the child all day long. Powers above, I know I almost went mad when Andren would leave me alone with Dyre!"

Dyre glared at her mother. "I wasn't a horrible child."

Eir only laughed. "My dear, you made me want to curl into a ball and cry some days, you were so stubborn like your father." Her attention finally focused on the other presence in the room, holding the child still. "It is good to see you again, Prince Loki. What brings you here?"

"I was wounded in training. I had to see my physician to heal it. In return I gained a child. Somehow." He handed Marine to her mother, who seemed shocked to be in the presence of one of the princes. "Though I would love to hear how much of a mischief maker Dyre was."

"Oh she was one of the worst! I remember one day she came in to the kitchen with a handful of shredded paper and just tossed it in my tea, as if it belonged there. I found out later on the paper was one of my patient's records!"

Dyre looked away, crossing her arms. "Yes yes, I was horrible. Fine."

"Oh that wasn't even the worst. You broke a fair few of my wedding gifts by throwing your toys around the room, for no reason at all. I'd hear a crash, followed by giggling."

Magda gasped. "How did you manage to keep going?"

"I kept telling myself it would be worth it in the end." Eir smiled at her daughter. "And it was." She took Dyre's hand. "When you have children, you'll feel the same way. In the end, it is worth it." She patted the hand. "We just have to find you a nice man first."

Dyre cleared her throat and took her hand back. "Do you still need me to go into town for supplies?"

"Oh, yes, that would be wonderful."

"I'll escort you," Loki said, feeling just as uncomfortable as Dyre. "I would like to acquire a few things myself."

Dyre nodded and took her basket, as well as the coin purse her mother handed her. Without another word the two left the women and child in the healing room.

"So shall we find you a nice man while we're in the commons?"

She shoved his arm. "I already found a nice man."

"Really? You should let me meet him some time."

This time she hit him with the basket as they roamed the halls. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that. Mother's been going baby crazy ever since Magda brought Marine over a few weeks ago. Seems to think I'm suddenly ready for children."

"And are you?"

"Not in the slightest. The very thought of chasing around a child terrifies me. The pregnancy itself, not so much."

"You seemed fine with the child."

She shrugged. "I think it's different. Marine is not mine, and so I don't have a reason to worry about her." She looked down at the basket. "It's a scary thing, creating life. Knowing that you're making something that will be with you the rest of your life, or the rest of its life." She shook her head. "I suppose having someone there with you to raise it makes it easier, but with how often my father was gone, it was usually just my mother and myself. And yes, I was a wild child before I even met you and Thor."

"Probably why you fell victim to my seductive charms then."

She met his grin and nudged his hip with hers. "That could have something to do with it." They fell into a comfortable silence, walking a good distance apart to keep up the appearance of only friends. Once they reached the commons, they preyed on various victims, causing chaos in their wake.

They came across a cow and her calf, about to be sold off to auction. The calf was taken from its mother and began to cry out. The sound alone drew Dyre's attention to it, and her gaze grew sad when she understood what was happening. "The calf is too young to understand, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately he's the right age to be sold off on his own," her companion answered, not as concerned as she. "Young males need to learn to fend for themselves at an early age, despite the species. Cattle are no different. The only question now is if they'll use him for breeding or for meat. And if for meat, for now, or later when he's older." He noticed her looking away. "You can terrorize your people, but you can't stand the thought of an animal being led to slaughter?"

"A babe can't defend itself. An Asgardian can."

"But you eat meat. I've seen you."

"I didn't kill it."

Her tone of voice said to drop it as she turned away from the calf still crying for its mother. With an effort of will Loki sent his magic to the calf, giving it an extra burst of strength. It managed to pull away from the man holding its lead, kicking him in the stomach in the process. The crowd gathered around gasped in unison and panic ensued as the calf ran free, trying to find his mother that had already been taken away.

Dyre looked in time to see the calf decide which way to go. For some reason, it chose to go in her general direction. She was pulled out of the way by a strong grasp as the calf proceeded down the lane, destroying everything in its wake. She tilted her head to Loki, who still held a protective hand on her arm. "You let it go."

He shrugged and let her go so he could continue in the opposite direction of the calf. "I don't know what you mean."

"You did something nice for me."

"I did no such thing."

"You're acting like the charming boyfriend I know you can be."

"Don't push it." He grinned despite his words. "Now what did you need out here?"

"Herbs for Mother, and something for myself, actually."

"Is that so?"

She nodded, twirling her finger as they passed a stand selling ceramics. A display table went from four legs to three, tipping over immediately. "I needed a new dress, and I saved up for a nice one to be made."

He mentally applauded her for her growing talents while the vendor cried over his shattered wares. "You'll have to show me later."

"Give me a good reason to wear it and I will." She looked at him curiously. "What do you need from here?"

"Nothing at all. I thought I would give your mother a logical excuse to escort you in to town."

Her happy mood faded slightly. "This is going to be a difficult relationship, isn't it? We have to lie just to see each other."

"Sits fine with me." He held off on carrying the conversation further as she stopped to purchase a few herbs from a vendor. It would be a difficult one, he knew it. It wasn't even one he had wanted. She was changing in all the right ways. Right to him, anyway. She loved causing trouble, seeing the misfortune of others. She did care about healing her people, but she cared more about the chaos first. He had to grin as she had the vendor turn around to fill her basket. When he did she used her magic to take back the money. By the time it was safely tucked away, the vendor had her herbs ready. As if she had done nothing at all, she thanked the man and took her leave. "You naughty little minx."

"He copped a feel as I was giving him an examination last week." She counted it all, making sure she took it all back.

"I don't think you could raise a daughter with the name Kaia, not with how you steal."

"Spare me. And why not?"

"You are far from pure of heart, Love."

"Well, Darling, I learned from the best."

He stepped in front of her, walking backwards as he pulled a look of mock hurt. "Are you calling me a thief?" He smiled and held up a finger. "You only know the half of it."

She met his grin. "Oh do I? I only know half of your thievery, your tricks, your lies, and your illusions? I only know half of the chaos you have the potential to cause?" He stopped short and she jabbed at his chest. "I know more than you think."

He chuckled and allowed her to resume her pace, taking his place at her side again. "I suppose so." He looked down an alleyway. "Do what you need to do. I've just thought of something to acquire."

She looked after him in curiosity before shrugging, resuming her path to the tailor.

* * *

Dyre twirled around her room, looking in the floor-length mirror. She gripped on to part of the fabric, admiring the work put into the black garment. The emerald stitching was spot on and extremely intricate, and the fabric itself was of the finest quality. When she said she had been saving, she had been saving for almost a year. Her smile slowly faded and she dropped the corner of her dress. The design itself was still simple compared to what she had seen on some of the failed suitresses Odin had brought in for his sons. She was living in a palace where a dress that she bought could be bought within a mere few weeks for any of the other inhabitants.

She looked at her reflection, feeling extraordinarily plain. She wasn't like any of the other women she had seen in the halls. She didn't know how to make her cosmetics look perfect, nor did she know how to make her hair sit in just the right way. She didn't know how to be stiff and catty. She stood a bit taller as the thought sunk in. Out of all the beautiful suitresses sent his way, Loki had turned them all away without a second thought. It was true, she was nothing like the other women, and she was prouder for it.

"Mm, it is a lovely dress."

She jumped and turned around, a hand to her chest, where the dress sloped down just enough to show a bit of cleavage. "You sneaky devil."

"Of course." He approached her, running his hands up the long sleeves of the dress. "Turn for me." He nodded in appreciation as she did as asked. "It seems like it's missing something though."

Her face fell. "It's the best I can do. I can't afford the nicer things like those other women."

He scoffed. "If I wanted perfect and prim I'd marry one of those atrocious beasts my father calls women." He made her face the mirror, keeping a strong grip on her arms. "Why would I do something like that when you're too much fun?" He tilted her chin so she would look at their reflections. "What do you see?"

"Myself?"

"What about yourself?"

"I-I don't know. I have black hair? Blue eyes?"

A soft chuckle left him. "That's all?" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver chain.

"It's all I see." She frowned. "You'd settle down?"

He rolled his eyes. "You're missing the point, and no, not willingly." He pulled her hair behind her shoulders and put the chain around her neck, letting a small emerald sit above her cleavage. "Do you know what I see?"

She almost forgot how to talk as she touched the gem. "What?"

"I see a confident woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. One who is not afraid of the spells she is learning to use. A clever woman who can keep up with my tricks, and is willing to hide me away when an illusion goes wrong."

She chuckled as she remembered a time he hid in her room under the bed as Thor angrily looked for him. The younger sibling hadn't helped his case by teasing her while she knelt on the opposite side. He had said he couldn't resist having a taste of her. She was just glad she had learned how to hide her pleasure. "Is that really what you see?"

"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

She gave his reflection an incredulous look.

"Besides the fact I'm a liar by habit." He pulled on the strings holding the dress securely around her torso. Once it was loosened, he rested his hands on her hips, slowly hiking her dress up. "Look again. What do you see?"

She bit her lip as more and more skin was revealed. "Well toned legs from staying on my feet all day."

"Mm, very well toned. What else, love?"

"There are a few scars from when we were younger."

"Which only means you are not afraid of being… physical." He bit her ear and lowered his voice as the dress reached her hips. "What else?"

She knew what he wanted to hear, and instead focused on something else. "I have wide hips."

"They feel narrow to me. Just wide enough for when you start bearing children."

She scoffed. "Children? Wouldn't one be enough?"

"It would be a start."

"As if you want them."

He went silent for a moment, pulling the fabric up more. "I'd take responsibility of one eventually. We aren't done yet." He let his index fingers trail along her skin as he pulled further, feeling her shiver. "What more?"

She took in her bared skin, kept smooth and void of hair. "There's a slight pudge in my belly."

"Any thinner and I would think you didn't eat." He let the dress rest above her breasts. "And these?"

She was starting to give in to his light touches. "Just the right size, I would think. They don't stand out, but they still exist." She let out a slight moan as he grasped them softly. "And you seem to like them."

He chuckled in her ear. "Very much so." He pulled the dress over her head and tossed it to the floor. "Now let me tell you what I see." He used his legs to spread hers and trailed his fingers around the sensitive flesh between her legs. He laughed at her light mewls. "I see a woman who is able to please me with just the sight of her body." He pressed his hips against her, giving himself a small wave of delight. His fingers slipped over her sensitive bud, making her moan. "Whose sounds as I give her bliss no other man could give ring in my ears give me a rush like no other."

Her eyes closed and she reached up to cup his cheek, leaning her head back with a delighted purr. "There are no men like you." She sighed as his fingers slipped again. "What else do you see?"

"I think I've told you enough for now." He made her look at their reflections again. "I want you to watch while your master brings you pleasure." He deliberately slipped over her slit again, starting to focus on her clit. She immediately squirmed in his grasp. "Mm, you're already so wet. Does watching yourself turn you on?"

"Y-yes."

He gripped on to her throat tight enough to cause a bit of discomfort. "Yes, what?"

"Yes, Master. It does."

"Much better." He quickened the strokes of his fingers, still keeping the pressure on her throat. Any time she closed her eyes he squeezed. His slacks were getting tighter to an almost painful point. He could feel her breath straining beneath his grip. In a way, he had never felt a rush of power like that. With a minimal effort of will he could snap her neck, could suffocate her, could kill her. Instead her pleasure grew with her cries. "How badly do you need me, Dyre?"

"I need you, Master." Her body gave a slight shake and her breath hitched for a moment. "Don't stop, please."

He chuckled against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "I'd never do that, pet. I love hearing you scream for me too much." He could tell from her short cries she was almost at her peak. "That's it. Don't hold back." He took his hand from her throat and opened his slacks, almost moaning at the feeling of freedom. He stroked himself as he brought her to her limit, easing a bit of his own tension. Her body quivered again and she gave out a sharp cry as she hit her peak. Without missing a beat he adjusted his posture and shoved himself inside her tight walls, forcing her to bend over and grip the sides of the mirror. "Now it's my turn."

She gripped the frame tightly and attempted to meet his strokes. She wanted him harder, wanted to tease him. "You feel so good, Master. Keep filling me up."

He gave a dark laugh and leaned over her, pressing against her back. "Whatever my pet wants, especially when you ask like that." He held on to her hips, giving him better leverage. With each thrust she was pulled backward sharply, sending both their heads reeling.

Her eyes kept falling to the mirror, fascinated with how he could make her expression change with just a simple rough roll of his hips. The looks she made would have embarrassed her if they were made in public for others to see, but in private, it was an intimate secret only they shared. She looked to his reflection and a shock of pleasure tore through her at his own expression. All of his concentration was set to making them both feel good, and he made no secrets of how he felt. She leaned back only a bit and immediately felt an increase in pressure. Her cries became short and loud as he hit something in her with each thrust. She couldn't handle it all. Her climax hit her hard enough to render her speechless. All she could do was let her head fall back and give a high moan as she tightened around him.

He slowed his pace as she began to loosen around him. If he had kept the speed he was going, he wouldn't have lasted long. He had been so turned on by exploring every inch of her he had been close to the edge as it was. It would be a short night, but at least he could make it end nicer than having her pressed against her mirror. "I think we should take this elsewhere." He pulled out of her warmth and let her stand straight again once she found her legs. "Wait for me on your bed."

She did as asked, wondering why she would have to wait. As she laid out on her stomach, she watched as he began stripping down to nothing.

He couldn't help but notice her stares as he tossed his shirt to the side. "Like what you see?"

She purred in response. "Very much. Don't keep me waiting long, Master."

Once as bare as she he joined her on the bed, letting her roll over to her back before he knelt over her. "Where were we?"

Her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer. "Around here, weren't we?"

"Ah yes. Now I remember." He filled her up again, loving her sharp gasp as he pushed in deep. He wasn't immune and let out a low moan of his own. She wasn't the only one who felt good when they joined together. It was the only time he felt like he could be himself completely. He didn't have to be afraid to let go, or to speak his mind. He resumed his pace from before, pinning her arms over her head. He groaned as she tightened around him and matched his strokes. "I won't last if you keep doing that."

She grinned at him. "That's the plan."

"If that's the case…" He caught her lips with hers, quickening his strokes, and increasing their pleasure. Her arms wrapped around his back and her nails took purchase in his skin as she tightened almost painfully around him. His free hand gripped under her thigh, feeling like he needed to pull her closer. He knew she didn't like when he came inside, but it was unavoidable. His climax hit him too suddenly to pull out. With a guttural moan against her lips he rode it out in her, continuing to roll his hips against her until he was completely spent. They pulled apart, trying to catch their breath.

She slicked back some of his hair that had fallen loose. "You know what I see?"

"Hm?"

"I see a man willing to do anything for those that he loves. Someone who does care about more than causing chaos."

He chuckled, still calming down. "Those are completely circumstantial. Only a handful of people know that about me."

"Same for me, I bet." A quick glance out her bedroom window reminded her of the time. "It's a bit late, isn't it?"

"I can stay for awhile yet." He slipped out of her warmth and rolled over while she did the same, letting her press her back to his chest. "Sorry for the mess, by the way."

"Too tired to care right now." She intertwined their fingers as he wrapped an arm over her side. "How long will you stay tonight?"

"Until you fall asleep. Your dress was quite lovely."

"Really? I thought you would find it plain."

"You know I don't like complicated garments. I'd hate to rip something you saved so long for."

She touched the gem with her free hand, glancing at it with tired eyes. "Thank you for the gem. I love it. It will be hard to explain where it came from, though."

"Save it for special occasions."

She pressed into her pillows, finding them too comfortable to stay awake. "Why do you stay with me? I know you say I'm fun to be around, but why not give in to your father's wishes and marry one of those ghastly women he brings in?"

"It's the same as what I told you months ago: Why would I seek someone else out when you're such a wildcat in more than just the bedroom?" He shifted a bit to get more comfortable. "Besides, I'm not the marrying sort. I'm the younger prince; I don't really have to find a wife."

"And if you had to?"

He fell quiet, knowing he had no answer for her. He knew she cared for the subject just as much as he did. However, it was still a haunting thought if he were ever forced into marriage. "I'd still share a bed with you."

"You couldn't."

"I could and I would." He let out an exasperated sigh and leaned over her body, catching her eye. "Who else can I really have fun with in this entire kingdom? Sex is sex, but it doesn't mean anything if I can't connect with the other person. I've had meaningless sex before, and I'd rather not have to do it again." He paused, letting her absorb his words. "Really, I'm not lying."

"I know you're not." She closed her eyes and succumbed to her pillow again. "We'll just keep this quiet for the rest of the time it lasts."

Her words stung, but they held truth. He was a prince, she was a medicine woman turned sorceress. He was royalty, and she was not. They could continue seeing each other only in secret, despite the fact they had confessed to wanting to be more than friends just over a month prior. It was how things were, and how they were meant to be. So long as they kept the relationship going, it had to remain a secret. Before he could carry the conversation further, he realized she had fallen asleep. He took his hand back and redressed himself as quietly as he could. Just as silent he left her room, not looking around before he left.

"I had a feeling this was happening."

He froze in place as his mother's voice rang out in the hall. He looked to see he hadn't refastened his shirt.

"How long?"

Knowing he was caught, he turned his gaze to his mother, repressing the urge to flinch at her unreadable features. Her fingertips were pressed together in front of her, her long sleeves hovering just above the ground. "Just about a year."

Frigga nodded, studying her son. "And do you love her?"

To anyone else he would have kept up the lie they had lived for almost a year and say no. "Yes."

"I see." She took a few steps forward. "You realize nothing can come from this, don't you?"

He cast his gaze away and nodded.

She stopped when she was right in front of him. "I had wondered why you cast aside all the women your father brought to the palace. Now it all makes sense."

"I'm sorry, Mother."

She held up a hand, a small smile on her face. "We cannot control who we love. If she makes you happy, stay with her."

He looked at her in shock. "What?"

"I'm not your father. I don't believe everything he does. However, under his laws, nothing can come from it. Nothing public, anyway." She gave him a warm smile. "Stranger things have happened. With how close you two were as children, I suppose this outcome was inevitable."

"You won't tell Father?"

"Odin does not need to know of everything that happens in his realm."

He grinned at his mother's retreating back. While his father always doted on Thor while they were growing up, Frigga was always there to comfort him. He frowned. "Why were you down this hallway so late?"

"It isn't important anymore, I suspect. Go to bed, my son. It is indeed late. Can't have you roaming the halls so close to a young woman's chambers. People may start to say things."

He smiled at her lighthearted words as she left the hall. He reentered his room and shifted out of his clothes, finding himself too tired to bother undressing normally. With less time than it normally would take he fell asleep, feeling as if some sort of weight was lifted from his shoulders.

* * *

Dyre, however, startled awake in her bed, a cold rush of dread filling her being. "Oh shit…"

She had forgotten to take her tea that day.


	33. What Happened That Night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is to be read as if Thor is the equivalent of sixteen, Loki is the same as fifteen, and Dyre would have just turned the equivalent of fifteen as well. I don't know what actual ages are used in the Marvel Universes, so use that as a guide for this. It delves deeper into the night mentioned under the stars in the actual story.

Dyre sat in the stands of the training area, watching the two brothers learn their own trade. Her heart was heavy that day as she watched them. It was a ritual she had gotten used to. She would get her own lessons learned earlier, and come to the arena to watch the brothers with their lessons. Now, things were changing. Things couldn't be as they were anymore. After much persistence, her father had finally raised his voice (and his fist) to her, making it very clear that today would be the last day she could spend with the brothers. It wasn't fair in the slightest. They were her only friends and had been for such a long time. Though something else was making her more upset at the news.

As the boys were growing older, so was she, and things were starting to look different when it came to them. She still enjoyed sparing with both brothers. She still loved talking strategies with Thor and playing tricks with Loki, but there was something else. She'd lose her breath from more than the fighting and the running away as to not be caught playing pranks. She'd find herself blushing at the slightest skin contact. She'd fumble over words if either one caught her off guard.

While she had similar reactions with both brothers, it was stronger with a certain trickster. She had always had more fun playing pranks and causing mischief. It was a guilty pleasure of hers. Just his smile would make her blush, and her heart would flutter any time he laughed. Thor's physique may have impressed her, but it was his brother's wit and charms that won her heart. She didn't understand the feelings she was having, and was too scared to ask her mother. She only knew that Eir had told her that when you cared for someone deeply, you felt different about them. She wasn't sure what that meant, but she was sure it was what she was feeling.

She sadly watched on as Thor trained with swords, meeting Tyr's pace easily. Loki stood off to the side, trying to manipulate water sitting in a bowl. By the look on his face, he was getting more and more frustrated with the spell. She looked on as he ran a hand through his short black spiked hair as his expression showed he was thinking of all the different ways he could learn the spell. He caught her eye and sent a small smile her way, and her stomach twisted around on itself as she smiled back.

She was more surprised when Odin entered the arena as well and sat, observing his sons. At the same moment Thor managed to disarm Tyr and have him in a submissive stance, Loki managed to summon a stream from the bowl and it flowed so beautifully, Dyre's breath hitched in her throat.

"Well done, Thor," Odin's voice boomed out from across the way as Tyr rose and bowed to his opponent. "You'll make a fine warrior one day."

Thor grinned at his father. "Just as you are, Father."

"Perhaps even better."

Loki saw an opportunity to show his father what he had just learned to do, but as he turned around to face where his father had been sitting, Odin was leaving the arena, an arm over Thor's shoulders discussing stances for war. His face visibly fell and he stopped the spell so suddenly the water fell to the dirt, staining it with the liquid.

Dyre left her seat as he sat on the lower bench, glaring at the bowl. She quietly sat beside him. "I thought your spell was beautiful."

"It doesn't matter. It isn't swordsmanship. It's a useless talent," he responded bitterly.

"That's not true." She bit her lip as he kept his gaze to the fading water stain. "Your magic is very useful."

He scoffed. "Sure it is."

"It is. Given enough refining, you could snap a person's neck with minimal effort and physical contact. You could set them on fire, you could drown them by filling their lungs with water. There is a limitless amount of things you could do on the battlefield. And what can the Thunderer do? He can slice and dice. That's it." He remained quiet and she tried again. "Loki, your magic is a gift. I meant it when we were younger, and I mean it now. Don't scorn it." This wasn't how she wanted their last day to be. Not that he knew it was to be their last day.

"You seem to be the only one to view it as a gift. You and my mother. Everyone else sees it as a curse. It's a virus that only a select few have. Those of us with it… we're not welcome."

She knew what he really meant. There was no mistaking what she had seen in his expression when Odin left with Thor and Tyr. "Just because your father does not dote upon you as your elder brother, it does not mean he loves you any less." She took a silent, deep breath, calming herself. "Even if he did, you still have those of us who care."

He looked to her then, catching her gaze with his pale green eyes. She desperately fought the urge to look away. "You looked so sad before. What's wrong?"

He was trying to get her off the topic of himself. She did look away then, rubbing at her arms. She winced as she touched the still tender flesh of her bicep. "Something happened at home."

He immediately took her hand in his to outstretch her arm and rolled up her sleeve where he had noticed her flinch. His eyes narrowed when he started to uncover the nasty bruise left by her father. "So help me, I'll kill him if you want me to."

"He is still my father, Loki." She took her arm back, letting the sleeve of her dress fall back in place. She had to try a few times to form the rest of her words. "I-I can't see you anymore. Thor either. Father says I am too old to be running with boys. I should—" She swallowed and closed her eyes, hating how a tear escaped. "I should be learning my trade. I shouldn't be spending any more time with two princes. That I'm—I'm not worth the time. I'm a medicine woman. Not a princess. Not anyone worthy of being in your company any longer."

His scoff made her open her eyes again. "And you believe him?"

"I don't. You've shown me since we were children I'm worthy to be your friend. I just can't argue my father's commands." She took another deep breath. "So, I want to spend my last day with you."

"What about my brother?"

"I won't miss him as much as I'll miss you."

A grin emerged on his face. "Well then Miss Andrendotter, I shall escort you through the best day of pranks and mischief I can conjure."

She pushed at his arm playfully. "Oh, you know I hate my last name!"

"Oh I know alright. Which makes me want to say it more. Andrendotter, Andrendotter, Andrendotter!"

She laughed and pushed him again, this time almost sending him off the bench. "Stop being a jackass, Odinson!"

"Oh it's to be like that, is it Andrendotter?"

"I don't know, is it Odinson?" She met his playful grin.

He held out his hand. "Fine then. Truce. I won't ever bring up your last name again. Maybe one day you'll get a better one like mine."

She took his hand and shook it. "I'll hold you to that." She held up a finger. "Remember I'm studying the fine details of the body. I can cause pain just as much as I can heal."

He flinched. "Fine, I mean it. Never again."

"Promise it, Loki. Swear it or I will never forgive you."

"I promise I won't."

Usually his promises meant nothing. But for her, he at least meant them. He valued their friendship too much. She was his best and only friend. The only one he could turn to when things like this happened. He thought himself too old to run to his mother for comfort, for someone to tell him he was worth something. He could always turn to Dyre for that. And she usually showed it by running amok with him and causing havoc wherever they could. His heart fell as they let go, realizing he may never see her again after that day.

He would just have to use all his tricks and give her the best day he could.

* * *

He did just that with flying colors. They spent hours slinking through the commons, messing with the vendor stands. They stole food while the vendors were distracted, and he even stole a rare fruit just for her. Once night began to set, they returned to the palace and played pranks on the guards. He made shadows appear on the walls, making it seem like something was slinking around. When the guards went to look, nothing was there, of course. In the end he ended up making the guards so spooked they left their post, muttering something about needing a stiff drink or two.

In the final hours of the night that she was allowed out, he took her to the private gardens, sitting in the grass that gave a spectacular viewing sight for the whole of Asgard. "I hope today has been satisfactory."

"More than that. It's a memory I'll cherish forever. I still can't believe you made those two vendors fight when one thought the other stole his wares. Naughty boy."

He winked. "If only you knew." His nerves seized as she leaned on his arm, keeping her gaze on the city. His heart hammered against his ribs, and he prayed she couldn't hear or feel it. He had been attracted to her for some time, and never had a chance to do anything about it. He had been too scared she'd reject him, and that he'd have to live knowing he had made a move on his only friend and she had turned him down flat. Now with the situation presented to them, he had a bit more courage. "Is this really the last time I'll ever see you?"

He felt her nod on his shoulder. "Unfortunately yes. There's nothing I can do to tell him otherwise."

Her scent filled his nose, one of a native flower found only in Asgard. The weight of her on his arm, the scent, just her presence was leaving his throat dry, making his nerves mount in his chest. "I need to tell you something."

She glanced at him. "What's wrong?"

He took a steadying breath, gathering his thoughts. "I feel strange when I'm around you, Dyre. I can't explain it."

For a moment he thought he could see relief flash across her eyes. "I feel the same. My mother says that when you care for someone deeply, you feel differently about them."

"If that is the case, I care for you, a lot. I don't want you to vanish from my life."

"My father demands it. He says I'm too old to run wild with boys."

"If there is no avoiding it, I want to do something…" She glanced at him, her blue eyes full of questions. To Hel if she rejected him. "Dyre, would it be wrong if I asked to kiss you?"

She seemed thrown off for a moment. "I… I don't know."

In that moment, his heart fell. He saw thoughts pass behind her gaze and wondered just how she was going to tell him that she didn't want to ruin their friendship like that.

"I want you to."

Those four words were a trigger for him. He swallowed. He couldn't remember a time where he was more nervous. He hesitantly closed the space between them, feeling the soft lips he had been admiring for so long on his. The moment they touched, a spark shot through his body, and he pulled back to gauge her reaction.

By her gaze she had felt it too. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all." He had to repress a shiver that went down his spine as he noticed she was blushing.

"Can you do it again?"

He didn't need to be asked twice. He nodded and took her lips again, this time kissing through the shock. Her lips were the sweetest thing he had ever tasted, and couldn't get enough of them. He could taste the rare fruit from before, making another shock course through his body, straight down between his legs. He knew what it was used for, he wasn't stupid. He just wasn't ready for something like that. It didn't stop his penis from reacting to the kiss. He lightly pushed at her shoulder, laying over her as she flattened out in the grass. His knee laid between her legs, and he accidentally pushed against her. He wasn't expecting her to moan into his lips. The shock returned, making him harder for her. He pulled back, giving them a chance to breathe. "This may seem odd, but I want you to touch me."

She didn't seem to know what he meant. She reached under his shirt, running her fingers over his growing slender muscles.

While the shiver did return, it only made him painfully hard. "Not—not there. Lower."

She bit her lip. "I couldn't—"

He was getting desperate by now. "Please, Dyre." He had never asked her for anything in such a manner. He had never begged anyone for anything. It felt as if she didn't touch him, he would lose his mind. She tentatively trailed her fingers lower, over the edge of his slacks, over his erection. Instantly he hissed and jerked against her touch and his hips pressed against her hand out of his control. He didn't give her a chance to do anything more before he resumed their kiss.

His mind went white for a moment as she squeezed him. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped him. He didn't want to. She shifted her lips open for him and he slipped his tongue in her mouth, fighting hers for dominance. He pressed his knee into her again, loving the whimper she gave. He did it again and she responded with another firm squeeze. He all but lost it as she sucked on his tongue for a moment before starting the dance again.

He pulled back just a bit to bite her lower lip, increasing the erotic noises she was emitting. Everything felt right as he braved traveling lower to kiss her neck, all the while pressing his knee against her center. Her weight under him, her scent, her taste, and powers above, the sounds he was causing her to make. He hissed against her throat as she continued to stroke him through his slacks, bringing him close to a release he had only given himself up until that point.

Her whimpers were growing into mewls of pleasure, immediately bringing his release right under the surface. With a breathless groan he climaxed. It felt so good he inadvertently increased his pace pressing against her, and just noticed she was rubbing against him just as much. Her head tilted back for a second and her arms wrapped around his neck, making him kiss her again. Her hips twitched against his leg and she held on tight as she cried out for him against his lips. When she nudged his shoulder he stopped everything and pulled away. He looked at her flushed cheeks as she tried to catch her breath, and noticed the slight shine in her eyes. Before he could stop it, the words flew past his filter. "Dyre, I think I love you."

She immediately pushed on his shoulders, making him get off her so she could stand and straighten her dress. "You're only saying that because I kissed you and… you know."

He shook his head and stood with her, ignoring his now damp leathers. "No, it isn't that. I feel more than a deep feeling of caring about you. Anything more that that has to be love."

She tried to say something but turned her back to him. Her voice came out quiet. "Loki, you can't love me. It… It will only make this harder. Please don't do that to us."

He stood by her, making her look at him. "Why can't I love you?"

"It will only make this harder, knowing I can't have you."

"But you can."

She shook her head, freeing herself of his light hold. "You're a prince, Loki. I can't."

"You can if I say you can."

Despite the situation she let out a breath of a laugh. "It doesn't work like that." She took his hands in hers, meeting his eyes. "I love you as well, but it can never be." She gestured to the palace. "This is your life." She nodded to the commons. "That is mine. You are meant to be with someone of royal blood. Not a common medicine woman. Your place is by your family's side, ruling over this land. Mine is to only heal." She tried swallowing past a lump in her throat, and gave up restraining her tears. "Just forget about me. Please." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye, my prince."

He watched her leave, feeling helpless. It was such a stupid situation. He had just gotten over his trepidation of wanting to be more than friends, and she was torn from his life. He couldn't let it end like that. He left the gardens, about to turn in the direction of the front gate, when a strong hand took his upper arm and led him in the opposite direction.

"You are such a fool," his brother hissed. "What were you thinking?"

It was then he realized his sibling had seen everything. He knew everything. "Brother, I have never asked you for anything before. Please, don't let her get away."

"Listen to yourself. It is one thing for her to be our friend, it is entirely different for her to be anything more." Thor looked down the corridor as his brother's struggles died down. "I love the girl as well, but nothing could come from your budding relationship. Let her go. Her father wishes her to stay at home and learn her trade. Would you really defy his orders in his own home, of his own daughter?"

He fell silent, knowing his brother's words held truth. He knew nothing could come of it. When Thor finally let him go, he turned to his rooms.

"What will you do, Loki?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked to Thor. "The only thing I can do. Let her go."


	34. 23

"I see you received the books I sent ahead."

He looked up from his book, his legs propped up on the ottoman near his chair. A smile spread on his face as she approached, setting her satchel down by the magical wall that kept him locked away. The visits were fewer and farther apart than they once were when he was first moved from his small holding cell to the prison. Her mother had seen to hiring on more healers, and made Dyre help train them. Some had an affinity for healing magic, which helped tremendously. While it would give her more time in the future, that year it was almost impossible for her to get away with enough energy left just to see him. Once a day became a few times a week, and then once a week.

It had been almost three weeks this time, and his irritation had started to show. He was snarkier to the guards, and gave them more grief than usual. He was not allowed to see his mother, the only other woman who kept his sanity somewhat in check. He had to deal with illusions, and even that was becoming harder to stand. He had been sealed away from everything he loved. Except for one.

He stood in front of the wall as she did the same, letting him see how tired she was. He frowned. "Why have you come? You look ready to collapse."

She gave a small smile. "If I did not come now, it'd be almost a month with not speaking to you. I couldn't bear that. The healing chambers are so frightfully dull. I need my best friend to cheer me up before I sleep into my nightmares."

He had grinned at the friend part, but it faded when she said what her dreams were. "You haven't been sleeping."

"I can't recently. Something's off." She shook her head and lifted the skirt of her dress, the one, he noticed, she had saved for a year for, shifting it so she could lean against a pillar while he sat against the solid wall of his cell.

"Did you have something you needed to be respectable for today?"

"Do I need a reason to dress nice?" She pulled her satchel into her lap and pulled out a book she hadn't picked up for over three weeks. "Or do you think I wore it for you?"

"Last time I saw you in that I was taking it off you."

"You did that with a lot of my dresses." She looked away from him. "Don't do that though. I can't…"

He nodded. "Understood." He took up the book closest to him, and they acted out a ritual they had been doing for a year. Both would read something the other recommended or had sent to them. They would read side by side and discuss recent events, things he should be kept up to date with that no one else would have bothered to tell him. He would have her demonstrate magic to make sure she could still use it properly, and made comments here and there of how she was progressing. If something in the books puzzled them, they could discuss it, and often found themselves creating theories for hours about the tales they had read so far.

While Odin, to their knowledge, didn't know how deep the relationship went, she was still not allowed to enter the cell. Dyre tried so hard to convince herself it was for the better, but no matter what she had told herself, no matter what others had told her he had done, he was still her charmer. He was still her best friend. And despite everything he had gone through, after everyone he had killed, she still loved him. She shouldn't have, and that's what made the rest of the visit so hard. She shook her head and focused back on her book. "The Bifrost is reconstructed. I believe they finished it last week."

"I see Thor can go visit that human woman of his and break Sif's heart again," he said, not looking up from his book. Venom laced his words at the mention of his free-roaming brother. No, not brother. He wasn't sure what to consider Thor anymore.

"Is that jealousy I hear from you?"

"He has the ability to touch the one he loves."

Her playful tone faded. "It can't possibly be forever."

"You don't know Odin."

"Give it time. Nothing is forever."

He nodded, turning his attention from the book to her. "I have a favor to ask, actually."

She closed the paperback, using a finger to hold it open. "Of course. What do you need?"

"It requires magic of the roguish kind."

She arched a brow. "When has that made a difference? If I recall, I gave you a good portion of your ideas when we were children."

His mischievous grin pulled at his lips. "And this is why we get along so well." He returned his attention to the book, indicating she do the same. "We seem to still share a common interest."

"And what would that be?"

"Leaving Asgard." He glanced around his prison. "Or this cell, at least."

"And that is a shared interest how?"

He calmly turned the page. "I wish to be free again. To continue my reign as a rightful king." He glanced at her, catching her gaze. "You wish for me to be free for the best sex you've needed all year."

She growled and rolled her eyes as he cackled. "You wicked man; stop implanting images in my mind." The wrists holding her book open went slack and she tilted her head back. "I can't continue to do this."

He frowned, seeing all mirth gone from her gaze. "Dyre?"

She looked at the opposing cells, where the prisoners had gotten so used to her occasional presence that they didn't bat an eye to her. She bit at her lip, and he noticed a slight color rising on her cheeks. "I haven't been too busy to come see you. I haven't been able to bring myself to come. This…" she gestured to his book, "I just…" She put a hand over her mouth and nose, not able to restrain a tear.

"Dyre…"

"I can't do this. These brief visits behind magic and then that's it."

He nodded, understanding where she was finding the emotions. It didn't make it hurt any less. "You wish to end the intimacy."

"We can't be intimate anymore as it is," she said, still pained. "I would in a heartbeat, but…" She stared at her book, trying to calm her heart. "I don't wish to stop seeing you, but it can't be like it was. Not anymore." She stuffed the book back in her satchel. "I do still love you, that hasn't changed. Not more, not less. But we can't keep this going."

His gaze hadn't left her. "And if I am released? What then?"

She finally looked back. "That is then, isn't it?" She adjusted the satchel strap on her shoulder as they both stood. "If you somehow get out of your prison, legally I should add, it can go back to how we were before everything went to shit."

"And if I leave Asgard?"

"I'll keep to the promise I made to you a year ago. There is nothing for me here. Not with the new healers and the healing wing." She sniffed and wiped at her eye gently to not disturb her light makeup. "If that happens, come find me. I still have that bag packed from last year."

He chuckled. "Do you now?"

"No." She gave him a sad smile. "I don't have much to grab as it is." He smile fell. "But where would we even go? You're still a wanted man on Midgard."

"We could blend in with glamour spells on Alfheim. I believe their winter is over for a few months yet. It's beautiful if you haven't seen it."

She laughed. "What a fantastic idea. Yes, let's run off to Alfheim and live with the wood elves. We'd fit right in." She nodded and turned to leave.

"Dyre." He waited for her to stop. "Don't stop coming completely."

She looked back to him. "You never told me what you wanted me to do."

He grinned. "Be creative with Thor for me. Take him to the marketplace."

She nodded. "Will do, love."

"And one more thing. Finish that book as soon as you can. There should be a new one waiting for you."

He watched her leave and settled himself back down, still angry with himself that he had become so nervous. Knowing what he had sent to her room only made it worse. He returned to the book, not paying attention as a new wave of prisoners was brought in. One particularly taller than the others, with a thicker set of horns on his helm.


	35. 24

As Dyre was returning to the Healer's Chambers, Thor was coming from the opposite direction. She nearly ran into him as they met by the door. "Oh, Thor. Good afternoon." It was then she noticed the woman in mortal clothing. She smiled broadly and tilted her head politely. "And you must be Jane. I've heard a lot about you from Thor."

The woman frowned, looking between Dyre and Thor. Finally she rested on Dyre. "All good things, I hope. I'm at a disadvantage here. I don't know who you are."

"Ah, this is Dyre, the best healer we have in Asgard," Thor said, clapping her on the shoulder. She brushed it off playfully.

"Don't be a dunce." She turned her attention back to Jane. "I'm Eir's daughter, so healing runs in my blood. Literally, funnily enough."

Thor nodded. "Dyre is one of few gifted in magical arts."

Dyre saw the question before it was even formed from the woman's mouth. "Like your brother's?"

She saw it best to swallow the nasty statement brewing on her tongue, only because it was the woman her best friend wouldn't shut up about. "While Loki was my teacher, I try to heal more than I harm."

"We were all best friends growing up," Thor explained.

"And a lot happened that we don't need to go in to," she said, sensing Thor about to throw himself into the old story. "What brings you two to us? You look fine. No gouge wounds I can see."

Jane grew a little timid. Her arms went rigid as she fidgeted and bit her lip. "IIIII may have blown up with magical red stuff when a cop touched my arm and almost killed a few cops and I know I killed a few of their cars." She spoke so fast it may as well have been one word.

Dyre never moved so fast in her life. Without a word she led them through the main doors and down a corridor, passing the few rooms that served for recovering patients. At the end, she opened the doors to the main circular room. Instead of a table in the center, it had been replaced with a soul forge. It was a very new device that Eir and Dyre spent months learning and teaching to the other healers they had hired on.

"Dyre?" Thor asked as he easily kept stride with the women.

"Humans do not spontaneously blow up when touched. Mother!"

Eir looked up from her work, hair up in a loose knot. "What is it?"

She looked to Thor and bowed slightly. "You can take it from here, Thor. You know the story better than I." Truth be told, any chance she had to avoid directly speaking with her mother, she took it. "I'll be getting back to work now."

She heard her mother try to speak but she moved so quickly she couldn't hear it. Or really, she didn't want to hear it. If it had not been her family duty to be a healer, she would have stopped showing up altogether.

When Eir had found out Dyre kept slipping away during her breaks to see Loki, she had reprimanded her daughter like a child. _"He's evil"_ , _"How can you stand to look at that-that_ Jotun _of all things"_ , _"I thought you had better judgment than that"_. Dyre had been able to ignore most of the wretched things her mother continued to say, but one struck a nerve and made her shut down.

 _"I'm glad that_ thing _never came to term."_

That thing. That baby. Her daughter's child. Not even given a chance to show it wouldn't make the mistakes its father made.

Dyre barricaded herself in her alchemy lab, her fingers grabbing vials upon her entrance to keep them busy. She tossed her satchel on the floor next to her stool. She had been dealing with the anger for months almost. Keeping her fingers working kept her from her still-developing magic. She felt it slither under the surface as she worked, begging to be set free. She felt the vapors work through her head, tempting her to stop mixing. To stop stammering the recipe. Her fingers shook as the magic writhed in the muscles. _Cyrodilic spadetail, eye of sabre cat, giant lichen, jazbay grapes, scathe—_ She shook her head, looking at what she had put in the bowl. She gripped the table. "Not poison, Dyre, healing."

_Poison is fun too._

She couldn't argue that, but it was usually just a mild irritant that would leave someone under strange and amusing effects through the day. She tossed the ingredients to the side, wiping out the bowl of residue. At the end of it all, she was bored, angry, and …

 _You could do a lot of damage from the inside with your medicine knowledge,_ it hissed in her ear, a soft echo of a whisper. _I mean, you_ are _alone again, aren't you? You are just heading right back into your old life, away from the boy you love. Oh, yes, man now. Convict. Very sexy._

That wasn't helping. She sat on the stool again, her back straight, sleeves resting against her hips as she hooked her heels to the rest below. The magic tickled under her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. "Ashe creep cluster, chaurus eggs, crimson nimroot, ice wraith teeth, luna moth wing, nimroot, vampire dust." She frowned as she realized what she was mixing together. Her shoulders sagged and she leaned forward, resting her cheek on her hand. She kept stirring though. " _Healing_ potions, I said. Not invisibility potions."

_You did say you were accepting his proposition. How else will you escape?_

It had a point there. "Oh very well." No one could get in that room anyway. The door only opened to her signature. It had been a nifty little spell she had learned midway through her studies, and came in handy when she wanted to bathe alone in the past. Though that had usually turned in to a _lot_ of verbal teasing, and _extremely_ rough sex. If she remembered correctly, the bruises on both of them had taken a week to heal, and a lot of explanation was needed on his part due to his short, slicked hair. " _Must've been… bitten by something."_ She had been glad she had just swallowed her bite of toast when the excuse fell from his lips.

She groaned and got up, unable to focus on the potions with the powerful distraction of the magic her anger and frustration building. She bit her thumbnail, her other arm over her stomach to prop her elbow up. "Focus, Dyre. Healing potion. We can work with invisibility later. What. Was. Healing?" She paced, reciting various ingredients shaking her head each time the order or ingredient was wrong.

A knock on the door stopped her dead. She shot a look at the wooden barrier. "Who is it?"

"Your mother."

She resumed pacing, muttering again. She shook her head as her mind passed deathwood in front of her face, an obviously wrong choice only aiding the attempted poison.

"Dyre, it's been months. Please talk to me."

Moon sugar? No, that was a very powerful drug. This time she'd be aiding an acid trip.

"I don't know how to fix this."

She stopped and turned slightly, finding her back to the door. Her eyes narrowed.

"Dyre, let me try. Please, baby?"

Her heart clenched. Her mother sounded pained, truly distraught. She grimaced and looked away, holding her hand to the door. With a burst of will, it unlocked with a click, allowing he mother to enter. She still didn't look as the latch closed again. She went to the back and leaned on the table. She shivered as the magic burrowed tunnels in her flesh. She didn't want to spark her anger by looking at her mother. "Try all you like." She tried to keep her focus on her potions again.

"We're all we have left," Eir said, and Dyre heard her voice crack for a moment, heard a shift of a dress and a few steps from leather soles on the wood. "We're the last of Andren's kin. We shouldn't stay mad like this."

Dyre was amazed with her own ability to catch a scoff before it escaped her. "And why is that? As I recall, I'm a stupid, ungrateful bitch willing to spread her legs for the devil and give birth to his spawn."

"Dyre, I was angry. But you have to see it from my view. Baby, he killed thousands of people."

"Under the control of something else." She gripped a vial of liquid and something chinked against the glass. A glint of silver caught her eye, resting on her finger. The emerald was still nestled in a bed of silver petals. Not a single thing had broken on it. She felt the magic recede a bit. "You helped me through that horrible time when I would have otherwise been alone, and only when we find out what he had done do you say what you did. What if the child had been born? Would you have cursed it? Expect it to grow up and willingly make the same mistakes?"

"Please, Dyre. Let me try—"

She turned around then, looking right at her. "I understand what he did."

"Then you understand—"

"I also don't lay blame on a man who was working under the heavy influence of a madman."

Her mother frowned and shook her head. "Dyre, it's not that simple. It isn't just Midgard. When he took the throne, all the mischief he's been playing all his adult life…"

 _Adult li…_ She had started seeing patients with claims that Prince Loki had been nearby and interacted with them moments before they had their injuries. They came in shortly after she was forbidden from seeing the brothers again. _No. He wouldn't._ "What matters is what you said about…"

Her mother nodded, deflating a bit. "I don't know how to fix this, Dyre," she repeated, her voice cracking. Dyre could see her mother's face twitching, blood reddening her cheeks. She put her hand to her mouth. "I-I can't take back what I said. I can't. And I don't want you falling for his tricks. He deceives people, Dyre. It's what he does. It's what he's always done!"

She stood up straighter. "Besides a few harmless pranks, he has never deceived me."

"Oh, then I suppose you knew his plans all along?" Her mother calmed down, her despair turning quickly to anger. "Are you admitting to treason?"

Dyre's face fell, and she hated the smirk her mother gave.

"Just as I thought. He is deceiving you. He's made you believe he still cares like he used to when you were children." Dyre looked at her sharply. "I saw it. That was why we had to pull you away from the boys. We saw you two were falling in love. It couldn't be."

"And why not? He's to remain a prince, is he not? Why couldn't he be with a healer?"

"He wouldn't be. He's _sleeping with and impregnated_ a healer, a woman that is not his wife." She crossed her arms, the smirk gone. "Though I suppose given recent circumstances, he has been disowned from the family, and thus revoked of any rank. But that is not why I'm concerned. I don't care about your scandal. I care about you. You are still my daughter. I still need to prioritize your well-being. He is dangerous."

"I know. I don't care."

Her mother faltered then. "You… know?"

"I'm not some blind idiot chasing him for his charm alone. You know I've accepted what he's done. I understand why and I know he's dangerous. I have magic. I understand my potentials. He has several hundred years more practice than I. I already know how deadly he is. But you don't seem to understand that he is not the same person alone." She stopped, realizing that wasn't completely true. He could get vulgar and crude, but in a way she didn't mind at all. A memory of being bound, bent over, and fucked good and hard derailed her long enough to let her mother speak.

"Don't think I didn't notice the odd reasons for patients to come see us while he was gone. I said nothing because I knew you were grieving for him. Answer me. Honestly. Is it more than that?" She locked her eyes with Dyre's. "Are you using your magic like him by your own free will?"

"I think you need to leave," she said firmly. She turned her attention back to her potions. Eir had already made clear how she felt about Loki's use of magic. She was only surprised to hear her mother accusing her of using it the same way. She played pranks, caused disturbances, yes, but never did she kill.

"Very well." She opened the door, but it didn't close right away. After a moment, Eir broke the tense silence. "If you see him again, you are banned from the quarters. Do I make myself clear?"

Dyre gripped the table in front of her, clamping down the magic that roared, clawing at her to get out. She chose to not answer, not trusting anything that would come out of her mouth. Not while her mind was sifting through all the ingredients she had to make potions aimed only for harm.

When she realized she would get no response from the girl, Eir cast her in shadow once again, illuminated by the glowing potions and liquid ingredients boiling around the room. She found herself testing her only options. Pray that they really were escaping Asgard as he said, or never see him again regardless. She knew he wouldn't be in that cage forever. No, he was too crafty to stay locked up the rest of his life. She mindlessly pulled regents together in a new bowl. Abandon her home forever with him, or never see him again. She grabbed the grinder and mashed the dry ingredients into a paste automatically.

Either way, she would be giving up something important. She added a liquid to it to soften it up more so she could pour it into an empty vial. She put it over fire and added another liquid, watching the potion turn an acidic green and then a soft purple. She blinked as she looked at the vial, realizing what she had put together. Dreamless sleep. She scoffed, but hid the vial in her satchel.

She gave up trying to make health potions and left the lab, locking it behind her once she cleaned up her failed mixtures. She knew the man was dangerous. She had known that from the day she spent the day with him in the market. She had seen the potential he had to do harm, and had seen him execute it. She knew he was like that, and wanted nothing to do with changing it. Chaos was what he was. She saw no point in trying to stop it. Rather, she enjoyed helping him, being the source of some of his better ideas. Why fall in love with a man and then change who he is? They had always loved playing tricks. Growing older had not changed that. The only thing that had changed was Dyre's contribution with her magic.

She wandered the halls for a half hour, struggling with her decision. When no other options presented themselves, she sighed and turned to try to find Thor.

She was stopped by a rush of soldiers running by, leaving her in a state of confusion. They were shouting mixed, hurried orders. She finally was able to make out something as they grabbed weapons from nearby racks. "The dungeons!"

Her blood ran cold. The dungeons? And they were grabbing weapons? "I need to find Thor…"


	36. 25

She hadn't realized how far she had gone until an explosion from the Bifrost drew her attention to the far-off bridge. Her feet and heart stopped, as did many others, as a ship collided with the bridge, destroying much of the new passage. She couldn't remember how to breathe as a nightmare story told to her as a child came to life in front of her.

Malak had not been the only dark elf to survive the genocide. It didn't look like there had been a genocide at all with the ships that started to come into the horizon line. Her heart started again at an alarming rate, making her brain work again.

The retaliating guns began to hammer out their ammunition, but it was no use to many of the ships. _Where is Heimdall?_ Her feet began to take her away from the main chambers, back towards the Healing Chambers. After what seemed like hours, the shield finally began to rise, and with it, a cheer of the people as they began to notice it. Ships collided with the barrier and made it no farther. Still, Dyre pressed on, determined to get back to the Chambers. Her heart sank and she stopped as the cheer turned to terror.

The shield was dropping. That was one of their last lines of defense. It was up to the guns now, and the soldiers on foot. She looked around as the crowds in the palace immediately scrambled for cover. _Chambers. I have to get to—ah, the tunnels!_ She ran through a few hallways, where less people were running. She knocked a few aside after one too many shoves into the wall, fed up with playing nice. She rounded the last corner and immediately hopped back to cover, her back pressed to the wall and her breath gone from her chest.

She heard the Svartalf's language. Her eyes clenched together as she let out a deep, quiet breath, calming her heart. Her magic simmered in her palms. The elves were right in front of the panel she needed to move.

Across the way, she watched on in horror as a ship collided with the hallway leading to the throne room, flying right through the architecture. _Powers above…_

She loaded the magic, feeling it rage higher than normal from adrenaline. With precision, she came around the corner again and shot both hand's worth of energy, sending the elves back into the wall hard enough to crack their skulls. Still in a panic, and not willing to take chances, she flicked her wrists and flinched as their necks snapped. She shook it off and pressed the brick she remembered from her childhood trickery. The wall shimmered away to nothing. She looked around and slipped inside, the wall forming right away.

She summoned energy to her palm to illuminate the halls, as he had done for them. Her heart hammered against her chest as the sounds of explosions became muffled. Every so often, a heavy fire would shake the foundation, moving dust from the walls, making her flinch. Her boots echoed off the walls as she carefully stepped over old items and furniture that had been left to rot in the tunnels. They were a lot harder to navigate than she remembered. And they were a lot smaller. She remembered the one that would take her close to the Chambers and quickened her pace, staying as careful as she could.

She may have hated her mother, but she hadn't been wrong. That was all the blood she had left. The dungeons were secure, she knew he was safe. The Chambers were not. The healers could only use white magic. Dyre's was various shades, a master of none. She needed to protect them all. She escaped the tunnels, closing it behind her. Without a second thought she sprinted down the halls to the Chambers, throwing open the doors ahead of her with magic and yanking them closed behind her. She unexpectedly made a whole room of people jump. They had huddled together as far away as they could. They only relaxed slightly as they saw who it was.

"Where is Eir?"

One pointed towards the back, with the soul forge. She held on to her satchel and took to the hall, her boots thundering against the stone floors. The doors came open and she was met with the sharp end of a sword. She stopped immediately, throwing up shields.

"Wait! Wait, you idiot, that's my daughter!"

Dyre relaxed her shield as Eir pushed the guard aside, though she took a step back as her mother came too close.

She couldn't hide how it hit her like a whip. "You're safe. When the elves hit—you weren't answering the door. I was told you were seen leaving a while ago, and I thought—"

"I'm fine," she said, an edge in her voice. She looked to the guard. "What's going on?"

"The Svartalfs are attacking, looking for something. We have evacuation ready for the patients."

More guards rounded the corner, almost winded. They saluted quickly. "New orders. All soldiers fit to duty, protect the streets. Once those trapped in here are taken to safety."

"I can help," Dyre said, dropping her satchel. "I can—"

"Stay here," the first guard said. "You're a healer. We need you safe to heal the injured."

"He's right, Dyre," her mother said, making Dyre's magic bite her stomach. "You're needed here. We'll soon be tending injured."

It stung, but she knew it was true. She nodded bitterly. "I will protect the Chambers. I will lock it with magic. Knock twice and twice only. The elves will be desperate. If I feel a tug, the magic will kill."

The guard nodded. "Twice it is." He directed the guards back to the front of the Chambers, leaving Dyre with her mother and the healers.

"I don't even want to know if you're jesting," her mother said, but followed her to the main chamber to guard the door.

"I'm not." She touched the wood of the door, letting it absorb her will. She took a low stool and sat on it, pressing her palms to the door. She held her forehead to it as well. She let out a deep breath, and tapped in to the magic encasing the door, feeling minute vibrates from the battle outside. "I cannot risk allowing elves in here. I can only kill them wounded or off guard on my own. I doubt any of the ones making it here will be either." She cycled another deep breath, keeping her stress level. "This is the only way to catch them off guard. It was the only way I was able to kill the ones to get to here." She kept her eyes closed, starting to see the vibrations.

"How do you know they'll pull the doors and not knock?"

"I took care of both options." Another cycle. The vibrations thrummed under her fingers. "It is universally acceptable to knock three times when not in a pattern. If they knock twice, I know who it is. Also, as I said, they are desperate. They are crashing their ships into Asgard just to land them, risking their lives to do so. What sane bunch would do such a thing? They are searching. They will not stop to knock. They will kill whoever is in their way. They will not knock and ask to have tea before they slaughter us." Another cycle. "The way I see it, they will try to break down a sealed door to see if it contains what they are looking for. They will not waste time to trick the inhabitants into opening it during warfare."

Her mother was silent after she finished her observation. She had a fleeting moment of hope that she had grown bored of her analysis and left to ready supplies. Instead, a stool scraped itself over and she felt a body close to her. She wanted to flinch away. She kept her eyes closed, skin pressed to the wood. "When did you grow up on me?"

She almost lost focus. "What do you mean?"

Dyre felt fingers run through her hair. "I was so mad when you came home and had gotten rid of your beautiful blonde. But I've grown so used to your black now… I just never got used to you being old enough to know more than me."

Her eyes stung and the magic paused in clawing her gut, letting it twist around.

"I-I can't control what choices you will make. You have power, and you also have a brain. Please, just promise me you'll use them both. Think about your choices. Each and every one of them.

She gnashed her teeth together. Her nails dug in to the wood. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because… you're still my daughter. And I still love you."

Dyre felt the vibrations growing stronger. Something was coming. She told her mother this and felt the other woman immediately shift away from the door. Dyre held her breath, only able to hear her heart hammering in time to the vibrations, feeling them become a heartbeat themselves.

Her tension melted as she felt two knocks. She waited a moment. No more knocks came. She relaxed and released the magic, allowing the door to open.

Her heart fell immediately again when she saw Odin, holding Frigga in his arms. She wasn't moving and was pale. Immediately she saw the blood. "Oh, Allfather," she breathed, ushering them inside and down the hall, her mother right behind them. She led them to the soul forge, allowing Odin to set her down. Dyre activated the machine, but nothing happened. She moved a few of the energies around, frowning, heart hammering. Her throat went dry.

"Is she…"

Dyre pressed her lips together and didn't meet his eye. She nodded.

She had heard many sounds in her life. The anguish of Odin, King of Asgard and father of all… the grief was not something she ever wanted to hear again. She needed to leave. There would be one person she knew who would probably never be told. A guard stopped her at the door.

"The wounded are coming in," he said, barring her exit with duty.

She locked her anger away and nodded. "Bring them in." She looked to the other healers and the guards who had followed Odin in. Her eyes fell on the strong man breaking at his wife's side. "All of you, out. We're about to be very busy. Leave our King to mourn." She watched them all leave, keeping her hands folded. When the last one left, she cast a gaze to Odin, holding his wife's hand. She may have been furious with Odin, but Frigga had done nothing wrong by her.

It would be a hard loss on them all.

* * *

She was kept busy until nightfall, when the funeral was held for all who had died. She tried to escape it, but a guard escorted her to her chambers to dress for the casting off. "Is it really necessary? The elves are either dead or gone," she huffed in her doorway.

The guard didn't look any happier. "Orders, Miss Andrendotter."

"Dyre," she corrected with a bite in her voice. "And fine. I'll be ready as quickly as possible." She closed the door and leaned against it, never feeling more trapped before. She took off her satchel and set it on the stone floor, hearing something clink in it. Her heart leapt in her throat. The invisibility potion. The enchantment itself was a spell, but the contents were needed to make it work. She stalked over to her desk and opened a drawer, finding a necklace inside, a small vial hooked on the chain. She took her smallest funnel and shifted the contents of her larger vial to the smaller one.

A knock on her door almost made her drop both. "Should I send for assistance?"

"No, that's perfectly fine." She put the necklace over her head with shaky fingers before finding a black dress that would not take forever to get in to.

The same guard escorted her to the funeral once she had fixed her hair and makeup and was sure there was no time left. He sent her into the sea of people. She could see well enough, not finding it surprising that Jane was at Thor's side. Through the whole funeral, she couldn't help but notice one person missing from the ceremony. One who at least deserved to be at his mother's funeral. Her heart stopped as she remembered the vial. She put the cork between her teeth. She spat it out on the grass and ingested the contents of the vial. Everyone's focus remained on the boats, all now flaring up, showing just how many had perished that day. She felt a tingle in her gut and, with the assistance of the night, slipped out of sight. She took her shoes off once she was on solid ground once more, using her stockings to keep her steps silent. She managed to pass by the guards undetected the whole way to the dungeons.

She let the spell disperse as she reached the dungeon guards, two she was acquainted with from all her visits. "Louik, Mikal, I thought you'd be at the funeral."

Louik shook his head, his scraggly blonde beard stroking his armored chest. "Many more of the guard lost families. Mikal and I here don't have family as it is. Lost nothing in this. Volunteered to keep watch." He suddenly looked uncomfortable. "You might not want to go down there."

Her brows knitted together. "Why? What's happened?"

"Besides the fact a good portion of the prisoners escaped but the prince, a guard has gone down to tell him the news."

Her blood turned to ice. "You have to let me down there." She met both their eyes, seeing them weighing their options. They had seen the mood changes in the outlaw son after her visits, as brief as the changes were.

Mikal nodded to the door, not saying a word. Louik opened the door and let her inside. She hiked up her dress, shoes still in hand, and ran down the paths she had worn into her memory. She turned a corner and slammed in to the arm of the other guard, another she was familiar with.

"Dyre?"

"Telvag. How did he take it?"

He shook his head. "Not well."

She resumed her pace, cutting off whatever else he wanted to say. There was a surge of power and a bright flash immediately followed. She slowed down as she approached his cage, seeing him standing stock still. She almost wanted to hold her breath. She knew he was dangerous, even locked away, regardless of who she was.

"How long?"

She almost jumped at his voice, hearing only anger. An anger so pure it scared her. The others were right to fear who he had become. "This afternoon. When the breakout happened here. Malekith did it. She put up such a fight. Thor maimed his face, so I was told." She swallowed. "Are they just now—"

"My mother has been dead for eight hours, and I'm just now learning this?"

She found nothing she could say. Her silence was a mistake.

"And where were you?" he snapped suddenly, making her jump at his shout. "You're the only one to ever tell me what I need to know!" She winced at the betrayal that leaked into his voice. He still hadn't turned around. "So where were you?"

"I wanted to come. I did. During the attack, I needed to protect the Healing Chambers. The healers cannot do harmful spells. I can. I wanted to help clear the elves, but I was restricted to the Chambers to await patients." She swallowed. "I-I was the one to run the examination with the soul forge. I tried to leave immediately, but I was stopped, again reminding me to stay for the injured." She saw him relax slightly. "I was escorted by a guard to my room, and taken right to the funeral."

He turned, finally looking at her. She was more scared to see him look calm more than anything considering his tone. "How did you get here?"

She held up the vial, letting him see a bit of purple remnants sticking to the glass. "I absentmindedly made an invisibility base. Good thing, too. It was going to be for something else, but it did its job."

Despite the situation he grinned. "Clever girl."

She approached the barrier as close as she would dare. "This was truly the fastest I could get here." She twisted her fingers around. "And I'm risking everything coming here, but I couldn't let you take this alone."

He looked confused. "What's wrong?"

"Mother finally spoke to me today." Her chest grew tight. "I can't see you again. She's banned it."

He narrowed his eyes. "Banned it?"

"I either stop seeing you, or I'm ejected from the Chambers."

He stalked up to the wall. "Don't tell me this right now, Dyre."

She bit her lip. "I'm staying here as long as I can. But for both of us, get your ass out of this cell."

"What did that witch even say to you?"

She shook her head but he repeated his question. "She said you were deceiving me. That you were using me to get what you need."

"I lied to you to protect you. If you knew what was going to happen, you could have been killed for treason. You are the one damn person who doesn't judge me for following my instincts. You are the one person who wouldn't bat an eyelash to me killing someone for looking at you the wrong way."

She held up a finger. "I have a problem with the murder. But, how about you just beat the person up?"

He nodded. "Not as satisfying, however it will do." He wanted to get closer, but he didn't dare test the barrier. "Why would I deceive and throw away anyone who I can have my sort of fun with? The magic is fun on its own, but with someone else, the ideas never stop." He crossed his arms and cleared his throat, sticking his chin out slightly as he swallowed hard. "And you're telling me I'm losing that. Right after I am told I lost my mother. The only two women, the only two individuals in this entire existence to understand me. That never wanted to change who I was."

A painful lump formed in her throat as she nodded. "Until you get out. If you'll still have me. With you, that is," she added quickly.

He nodded and turned away. "I think you should leave, Dyre."

Her heart fell. "Loki—"

"I need time alone. And if you leave now, it'll make it easier than if you stay."

His voice had gone flat. Unreadable. She swallowed and nodded. "Of course."

She got a few steps before his voice stopped her. "Read the book, Dyre."

She nodded to nothing and left the dungeons. She began the long trek to her hallway, still feeling a tug each time she passed his old room. She unlocked her door and stepped inside, immediately stripping off her dress to roam the room in her slip. She heard the rattle of a flap and looked to the wall leading to a small ramp she had made. Her dog Markku came in for the night, greeting her with a bump on her leg. "How did you know I needed a friend to cuddle with?" She readied herself for bed, taking her time as usual. Before she blew out all the candles, she picked up the book on her bedside table that she hadn't touched yet.

She climbed into bed and took the book in her hands, finding a comfortable position to read in. Markku joined her, making the task a little more difficult. He rested his shaggy head on her arm while he curled up into her side. He huffed and licked his lips before settling down. She opened the cover and flipped a few pages, and almost dropped the book as a surge of energy flowed through it. A blank filler page started to show writing.

_This will not show to anyone without magical properties like us. If am released, I am taking you with me still. If this happens, I may come to you in disguise. I will mention the stars if I do._

_I know you must be getting tired of the visits. It is probably why you haven't come to see me. It's been two weeks now. I wouldn't blame you if you started to hate me too. I guess relationships really do ruin friendships._

_It drives me mad, seeing you, not able to touch you. The dreams I have are so vivid I can believe they're happening. I can believe you're in here with me, keeping me sane. And then I wake, brutish shouts reminding me where I really am. I can only imagine what it does to you. If anything, anymore. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me._

_If you don't, I hope you're ready to spread mischief and chaos the moment I get out of here. I cannot and will never be a hero. It is in my blood to seek and cause chaos. Asking me to change that, to throw away who I've finally accepted myself to be, that would never work. And so many tried._

_But you, you never asked that of me. You never asked me why I play pranks. You never asked if my magic would be better used for good. You never once told me I was wrong. Ever since we were young, you were always there. Your only question was how you could help me have more fun. You listened to my stories and dreams, and I listened to yours. It was strange to have a girl as a best friend at first, but soon your sex had nothing to do with it. I don't know when I fell in love with you, but I have felt it for a very long time. First as a friend, and now as a lover. As an equal._

_However, if you come with me, you will continue to slip with me into darkness. You will be an enemy to Asgard. You will be a villain. And I can form you into the best damn one out there. The choice is, of course, yours to make. I would understand if you do not want to turn your back on what you have left. You have a caring mother, as much as she angers both of us. And… honestly, I can't think of anything else, but I've been locked up so long, what does it matter?_

_The choice is still yours, love. I wouldn't put this on you if I didn't think you could make the choice. When I find you, I will accept whatever answer you give me._

She touched the page, trailing over the letters. Did she want to make that choice? To turn her back on her people? She looked to her dog, sleeping peacefully on her arm. She thought of all the people important to her, and was able to count them on one hand.

She was furious still with Odin, though he had made the right call at the time. She didn't like it, but it was out of her own selfish reasons. Loki had been a war criminal. His sentence was mild compared to what it could have been. But for the general way he held himself, his air of superiority, it had gotten under her skin long ago.

Frigga had been one of the only people in existence to accept the secret relationship her son had. And now, her vote was lost.

Thor was the last of those people. He was the only one so far she would regret to have as an enemy. No matter what, he was still her friend.

Her mother… Eir was a tough choice. Especially now that she had voiced her opinion that Dyre could make her own choices, even though she was still restricted from the dungeons. Dyre shook her head and set the book down on her bed. If she were banned from the dungeons, she really wasn't making her own choices. She could never be happy if she stayed. Her mother had been forcing young men down her throat for months. "He's a soldier", "he has land", "Dyre, Mavt says his son is looking for a wife". No, she decided. She could leave her mother.

Markku was the only being in the world that mattered enough. But Loki liked him enough. Would she have to leave the dog behind?

Waiting would take a lot of patience that she didn't have.


	37. 26

"When do we start?"

Thor turned off the power to his brother's cell, watching the tousled shell of a man stare at him in disbelief. "I need to trust you," Thor said. "I don't want to. I must. Your release is the only thing that can save us and send us to the elves. You know the paths."

Loki stood, still keeping his eyes on Thor. "And I do agree, they are a pain in the ass." He followed his brother out of the corridor that had housed his cell. He remained silent, calculating all the possible outcomes, good and bad for him. He had very little detail to work with, but the odds were continuously neutral. He barely noticed them stop in front of a familiar door. "My room?"

Thor nodded and opened the door. "You can't go into this in rags. We're getting your armor."

His eyes fell on the door down the hall. The only other one he was just as familiar with.

Thor noted his gaze and shook his head. "It is midday. I am not certain she'd be in her room. We don't have much time to—"

"Thor, what are you—Loki?"

They both looked behind Thor, seeing Dyre coming from the same hallway they were just down. The color drained from her face as if she had seen a ghost. Thor broke their silence first. "Shouldn't you be in the Healing Chambers?"

"I couldn't heal another person. I started getting dizzy so I was sent back to my room," she explained, her eyes still not moving.

Thor wanted nothing more than to move things along, but he knew how much his friend had been hurting. He clenched his teeth and turned to Loki. "One hour. No more. My statement stands."

They both looked at him in shock as he walked away to an area still within sight of the door. Before Dyre knew what was happening, she was dragged into his quarters and pressed against the door. His lips bruised hers, their breath heavy as their skin shifted together, igniting the old flame immediately. He moved to her neck, making her gasp and arch in to him. He just held on to her closer. "You know," she said, "we really need to stop meeting like this once a year. It's too long." She ran her hand through his wild hair, holding him closer to her neck. She felt herself breaking. Not able to believe he was really there.

"I'll be sure to find some way to schedule an attack from the elves in a few months' time. Maybe they'll need my help again."

"And what do you gain from helping them?"

"This hour. And that is all that matters."

She swallowed around the sharp lump that had returned. "Are you free?"

He shook his head, resting in the crook of her neck. "No. So please, no more talking. We've done enough of that the past year." He was content to just feel her grip tighten. He was unable to believe this was true. "Let me do this, please."

She nodded against his skin, giving him permission to do as he pleased. All the while she fought with herself. Someone was playing the cruelest prank on her. They had to have been. "You're really here?"

He laughed into her skin, the noise a heavy, amused breath, despite her breaking his request. "I am." He ran a hand down her shoulder, remembering the feel of her dresses as they covered thin arms, toned from grinding potions most of her life. He had always been amazed at how thin they still looked. Deceiving to her true power. It was what she was like regardless. She may not initially appear to be much, but when she got under his skin, he had been floored when he saw her. Really saw her. "Did you read the book?"

She found an opening and took it. "I tried. It started out with this man, pouring his heart out to a lover he hopes will someday find it. A man so evil, but loved by one. One who couldn't care less about her home." She grinned as he looked at her. "I've decided. Come talk to me about stars, in any way you can. On one condition."

She laughed at his groan. She had set him up, he knew it. "What is your blasted condition?"

"Markku comes too."

"I wasn't going to even suggest otherwise."

"Really?"

"Who knows when I'll need his ability to steal your clothes so I can see you naked?" His eyes slid down her body, his own stirring to life. He added his fingers when she squirmed slightly. "Speaking of which, I think we're both wearing far too many clothes."

She pulled his tunic from his belt as he loosened her bodice, tossing off the shawl over her shoulders. The moment he could see her flesh he teased it with his lips, pausing only to let her toss the tunic aside. She wanted to take it slow, to savor everything he gave, but they didn't have the time. They'd never have time again… She tugged out of the sleeves of her dress, letting it fall to the ground from the loosened strings of her bodice. In the same motion, she reached for the button of his pants.

He understood the frustration. He let her push him into the wall. He let her kneel as she pulled his pants down with her, dragging her lips down his stomach. He hoped she didn't realize how thin he had gotten in prison. If she did, she made no indication as she pulled him into her mouth. He had almost forgotten what she had learned to do from him. He ran his fingers through her hair, his body rolling very minutely at her strokes. Encouraging grunts and moans left his throat as he felt her tongue on him for the first time in almost two years. He hadn't given her the chance to do this when she slipped into his lower security cell a year ago, but they had no idea when she could have been caught. That encounter had to be brief to get her out in time. When he thought about it, he hadn't even given her a proper release then. He only really sought his pleasure, selfish as ever. Even so, he stayed entranced by her motions. He pressed his palms flat to the wall, keeping his balance, not trusting himself to put them anywhere else.

She knew he was holding back, and that was not the man she knew and loved. She told him as much and he only laughed, muttering an apology. He shifted his balance, leaning back against the wall and using his hands to guide her movements, his grip firm in her hair.

He groaned as she started to dip deeper and slower, sucking gently as she pulled back up on him. He used his grip to pull her off. Before she had a chance to ask he dipped down and scooped her into his arms, carrying her to her bed. "As much as I want to be rough with you, you don't deserve that right now." Her arms tightened around his neck. "There will be plenty of time for that when we get out of here."

When. She hadn't failed to notice that. And the last thing she wanted to do was point out this could be their last time together for a very long time, if ever. "Then you can romance me properly," she said around the sting in her throat, letting him lay her down before shifting his weight between her legs.

"I thought I was doing a well enough job, considering the circumstances," placing a kiss to her collarbone.

"You forgot the flowers." He pressed a kiss to the swell of her breasts. His hands gently cupped them in his grasp as he leaned over her.

"You don't see the point." He kissed the side of one breast and then the other as he continued between them.

She gasped as he reached her sternum. "Ah, you didn't bring jewelry made gold."

He then chuckled in the hollow between her ribs. "You hate gold." His fingers trailed patterns in her skin as he pulled them down her flesh, teasing her.

"You didn't bring dinner for us to tease each other over, while we wait impatiently to go somewhere dark." Her head tilted back as he bit in to the curve of her waist.

"You know I'm too impatient to wait." He shifted his weight down the bed, his tongue trailing over her slit. He couldn't stop the moan that left him as he felt how over-ready she was for him.

Her fingers gripped the sheets as he pressed his tongue along her again. She gasped as his grip on her hips tugged her all the way to the end of his bed, hooking her legs over his shoulders. She crossed her ankles, pressing against his back at each flick. He pressed his lips to her and sank his tongue deep inside. She wanted to tell him she didn't care if she got off or not, but she couldn't lie. Instead, she could only let out the must vulgar of sounds she would have bit back if it were anyone but him.

He replaced his tongue with his fingers, rubbing against her clit too easily. He took no time in remembering what made her squirm. Her hips writhed against him, making him wrap his free arm over her belly to keep her flat. Her sighs became sharp, pleasant whimpers, pleas to keep going and never stop. All at once she arched against his hold. Her scream became caught in her throat. He didn't care if she finished her orgasm or not. He couldn't be selfless any longer. He took her legs from his shoulders. He grasped her waist just under her ribs and hefted her up the bed. His legs held hers back, making them rest against his thighs. In one short thrust he sank into her. He pressed his weight to hers, keeping the worst of it held on his forearms as he bent down to kiss her. His hand moved just the slightest to cup her face as the other rested on her thigh.

She never wanted it to end, but she was also faintly aware of the figurative ticking clock looming over them. She looped her arms under his, holding on to his back, nails biting his flesh at each stroke.

He knew there wasn't much time. Every second mattered. He wanted to ingrain every one of those seconds into his memory, if he were to be killed or sent back to his glass cage to be gawked at. He wanted to remember every smell, every taste, and every breath. The trails and patterns her nails made in his flesh. The feel of her hips pressed so close to his that every wet slap of their skin was faint. He moaned through his teeth as she started meeting his thrusts. Patience be damned. Her moaning was getting too sexy and lewd, making a shiver run down his spine from the noise, the thrusts, and her nails.

Her nails ran up through his disheveled hair, hearing him almost purr at the contact. She whispered encouraging words in his ear, sighed and moaned into his skin. He took her lips again, sending her reeling as his tongue danced with hers. She could faintly taste herself on him. The rest was all him, just the way she remembered him.

He felt his head getting light. His breathing was getting ragged. He couldn't last much longer. With no way to make it last, he drew in a sharp breath against her lips. His mind went white, forcing himself to pull out of her warm sheath. He held himself up, panting as he emptied himself on her belly. She only leaned up to take his lips again. He chuckled and leaned his head to hers. "Could I interest you in a bath, love?"

"I am indeed interested." She looked between them to the random splatters of creamy white. "Unless I'm supposed to keep that on."

He snorted and helped her up, following her into the washroom where he proceeded to fill the basin tub. He knelt and kept his focus on the water as she moved to his right, lighting a few candles so they could see better, and have a better mood than the small candelabra from the ceiling. He heard the shift of cloth, and then heard it fall to the floor shortly after. What he wasn't expecting was for something to run through the end of his hair. He jumped a bit and looked at her.

"You can't leave Asgard looking like a madman. Especially not when you're supposed to be acting the part of a good man for now." She pushed on his shoulders, making him cross his legs to sit on the floor more comfortably.

He saw her point and let her work out the mess he had made in his desperation. He was grateful she didn't ask why he looked how he did, still wearing a bit of the evidence from his explosion. "It needs to be cut again," he muttered without thinking, feeling light headed again from her ministrations.

"I kind of like it long," she said, running the brush lightly through the muss. "Maybe one day you'll have it longer than mine and in a very alluring ponytail," she purred, leaning on his shoulders playfully.

Her own hair still only reached the middle of her ribcage, but it was enough for her. And for him. He laughed a bit and reached up for one of her hands, pressing it to his lips. "I think it would get in the way of my magic."

"Nonsense. Look at Thor's new luxurious mane."

He gave a full laugh at that one. "Yes, the wonderful god of hair. He stole your hairstyle, by the way."

"I've stopped being able to kick him in the shins to punish him," she responded simply, finding the brush had smoothed out his hair. "If he wants to emulate me though, by all means. I know I can be pretty amazing."

He used his hold on her hand to pull her into his lap with a playful shriek. "You think so?"

"Oh I know so. Why else would I be in here with you when you could have just ignored me long ago? You could have told Thor it wasn't necessary to see me. Thor could have told me to be on my way and not give us this." She let him take the brush from her grip and set it on the counter behind him. She bit her lip as he leaned her head to his again. "How much time is left?"

"I don't know." His grip tightened around her shoulder. "Enough, I hope."

She got out of his grip. It was her turn to help him up. "Get in."

He hadn't noticed the tub had filled enough and turned it off. "Don't you want to—"

She shook her head. "You first." She waited for him to do so, slipping into the warm water with a satisfactory hiss. She knew it was probably the first time he had a chance to relax like that. She stepped in and slid onto his lap, resting against his chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, as if suddenly unsure.

"This keeps feeling like one of my dreams," he said to the ceiling, his eyes closed, just memorizing how everything felt. "Like I'll wake up any moment and still be trapped in that cage. Without you. Without my mother. Without anyone to listen to me." They shifted a bit, the water sloshing around them. "It may be my selfish nature, but I can't let you go. I can't let that be what happens."

"You're not being selfish. Just… don't turn into an opportunist and we'll be alright."

"So long as you keep wanting to use your magic for mischief, don't expect a knife in the back from me."

She locked her eyes with his. He knew he was telling a partial truth. And she accepted it. He wanted someone to match him, who didn't question his morals. Who saw the fun in what he did. She made him laugh, and he could make her smile regardless of what he did. They fell silent, content to just stay as they were as long as they could. Until a knock came from his bedroom door. She sighed and leaned up on his chest. "Your ride is here."

"My ride came and went. And came a few more times."

She smirked with him and pushed him under the water as she got out. "You're a prat," she laughed as she fetched a towel.

He used the water to slick his hair back, letting her breath catch in her lungs as she saw him like he always was. "I need to make some sort of fun with this." He hefted himself out of the water. "Perhaps you should leave first. So I can gather my clothes again."

She nodded, tears stinging her eyes again. "Please. Just be safe, alright?"

"I can do that." He gently took her face in his hands. "For you, I can do that." He kissed her, giving everything he had to keep it brief. "Tell Thor I'll be out in a moment," he said against her lips.

She could only nod, not daring herself to speak. Instead she pressed back for a moment. When she felt her walls crack, she left the washroom, closing the door behind her. She got dressed, finding where her few garments had been tossed before. She set the clothes back in place with shaky fingers. The knock came again and she answered it, slipping outside. "He'll be out soon." Before he could say more she hugged him. "Thank you, Thor."

"He is risking much to help us," he answered as she pulled away. "Even he deserved to have something after…"

She nodded. "If there was anything I could have done—"

"I know it was out of everyone's hands. I've accepted it." He looked down the hallway. "There are more pressing matters at hand. I will have my time to properly mourn when we are at peace again."

"Do not go too long without mourning," she advised. "Much rides on this fight, not just for us."

"Aye. Can I trust you to be waiting here for us to heal our sorry arses?"

She let a laugh escape her nose. "Of course. Where else do I have to go?" Her smile faded and she backed down the hallway. "Stay safe, my friend." Her heart hurt with the idea of eventually turning her back on the friend before her. She could only hope he would eventually forgive her. She turned and retreated to her room, hoping she had hid before her tears finally spilled.


	38. 27

27.

Dyre wandered through the streets of the commons, seeing the devastation the elves had inflicted. Families wept as they mourned their losses, though many were part of the rebuilding, keeping their minds and hands busy. Only two days had passed since the brothers had left in the most dramatic way possible. Those who assisted the escape were in the dungeon, awaiting questioning.

She entered the side of the commons which hadn't been struck. One she had been frequenting more often. There were regents needed for her concoctions that weren't the friendliest in the realm. With her reputation sullied as it was, she knew she had to tread carefully where she found them.

She entered a shop, pulling the hood of her cloak down. "Peytra?" No answer came. She looked around at the shelves of the narrow apothecary. All the vials and jars were organized in a way known only to Peytra. Most of the wares were harmless, meant for potions to bring health, good fortune, and all other things whimsical. Then there were some that could be used for either side of the spectrum. She tapped her foot impatiently against the wood floor. "Peytra!"

A loud noise made her jump and turn her attention to the back of the store, to a dark doorway behind the store's counter. A woman in her later stages of matron age came from the hallway, covered in pink goo. "Dyre. I wasn't expecting you today." She gestured to her clothes. "I would have made myself more presentable."

Dyre gave her an amused smirk. "I'm out of a few regents. Though I don't see what I need out here, even through your organized chaos."

Peytra cleared off her hands with a hand towel and set it on the counter again. "I think I know what you need. Something for a sleeping draught? I'm sure you need one. I heard the news."

She frowned, her mirth gone. "What news?" She shook her head. "More importantly, why would I need a sleeping draught?"

The shopkeeper paled. "Never mind. Right this way, I'm sure we can-"

"Peytra!" She checked her tone, allowing herself a moment to assess what she could have meant. "You know it's not wise to lie to me. What news is spreading through Asgard? That I am pregnant with the bastard's child again and will sell it to Hela?"

The woman looked sick. "Please, Dyre. I thought you knew."

Her patience and magic were beginning to slip. "If you do not want this shop in ruins, you will tell me what is being spread around."

Peytra pressed her thin lips together, at odds with herself. "The tale is that the prince is dead."

Her blood ran cold. "Thor?" When the woman didn't answer, she felt her knees grow weak. "W-what happened? Please, Peytra, what is the word? Where is it coming from?"

"A guard reported a body," she said calmly, seeing the girl's features change. "I thought you knew."

Her world shattered. "That's not…" He wouldn't die for Thor. Would he? Through the months she had seen him, he spoke of only his distaste for his brother, and his father. Most everyone, really. Her own mood had made the final shift, letting her see everything he meant through the years.

"Dyre?"

She caught herself holding a small sphere of her magic. She clenched her fist, dissipating it. No sense in killing the messenger. "I-I need deathroot. Basilisk venom, bilgesnipe dust, nightshade, and—"

"Dragon teeth," Peytra finished. "Dyre, what are—" At the woman's neutral glare, she closed her mouth and disappeared behind the curtain leading to the rest of the shop and her personal quarters.

Dyre listened to the shuffling, trying to drown out the woman's words, repeating themselves. He was her plan and only way to get out of Asgard. She had willingly switched her morals, finding her people not worth her spells of healing. Many who came to her did so with problems so ridiculous, she wanted to injure them worse, just to make them realize how insignificant their complaints were. They spoke of their lives while she healed them, as if she cared, and she realized how much they all took for granted.

From her time in Midgard, she learned of how hard many of the mortals had it. War, famine, their own nature causing destruction. No, the Asgardians, they had had it easy up until the elven attack. Their worries consisted of their children being children, of their spouses cheating and hiding secrets, of pains normal with their stages of aging. They took for granted their life spans. The glorious things the mortals could have potentially done with life spans of the Asgardians.

Unlike Loki, she saw the potential in the humans. They were misguided creatures, the lot of them. If they could unite, put petty differences behind them, they could really be the chosen race they were supposed to be. However, since that wasn't likely to happen, they were still a potential for entertainment as well. They were such curious creatures, she realized. When presented with a strange noise, no matter how terrified they'd be, at least one would insist on finding out what made that noise, imminent death or not looming before them.

And now… she was stuck among those who didn't see the perks of their lives, who took everything for granted. Trapped spending at least another three thousand years among them, healing them with her magic and potions.

At least, that would be the ruse she'd hide behind.

Peytra returned to the storefront, everything in a cloth to keep it from view. The woman kept her eyes averted as she totaled up the cost of the regents. It wasn't necessary. Dyre pressed more than was needed onto the counter. A message to keep quiet. Peytra nodded, still not looking at her. "A pleasure doing business with you, Miss Andrendotter," she muttered, the remaining life gone from her voice. She waited until Dyre was about to leave. "One drop for disequilibrium. Two for syncope. Any more than that—"

"I know." She gripped the handle. "I'll be careful." She gave an amused chuckle and looked to the woman, who had finally glanced at her from the sound. "Honestly, it's not like I'll kill anyone." She laughed at it again, not sure why she found it so amusing. "Where would the fun in that be? There's no punchline to the joke." She left the store, still laughing at the absurdity of the situation, not sure why it was funny.

* * *

She took each step up the palace stairs briskly, barely giving much of a nod to the guards watching those coming in and out. Her mind fumbled over the regents covered in her basket. Many of the ingredients were harmless, used in a few concoctions. The particular combination in her possession, if not measured correctly, could produce a deadly vapor she would not notice until it was too late. There was a cure, of course, but it took two weeks to make. The vapor killed in a half hour.

She slammed into a solid object that gave way a bit as she stumbled back, startled. She looked at a guard, wearing a look of shock himself. She gripped her basket in both hands and bowed slightly. "Forgive me, I was not paying attention."

"It's quite alright," he said, still looking at her in the same way. "You're Dyre, the healer with pure magic in the Chambers, right?"

She nodded, her eyes narrowed. "Yes, I am. Are you new to your post, soldier?"

He gave a slight laugh and shifted as if he had taken notice to his stare. "I am. I started two days ago. Odin seems to need all the soldiers he can." He put more weight on his spear, and she saw his eyes flick over her form, making her a little uncomfortable. "I had heard rumors of you being easy on the eyes. Rumors hadn't said just how easy." His smile showed a little teeth, and her heart almost stopped. It was so familiar… He lifted the spear a bit and walked up to her. Her heart hammered against her chest. His voice dropped. "I don't think all the stars in our sky could compare…"

She almost lost her grip on the basket. "Don't you dare tease me." Her throat went dry and her chest hurt. She almost couldn't stand to breathe. "I can't take—" She swallowed hard as his grin remained. "What about the stars?"

"I'd take you to all of them if I could." He chuckled. "To find lives to ruin, to get away from here."

She let out a short laugh, but immediately looked around. "Come to my room," she muttered. "Give me time to get there before you follow me." She backed away from him a few steps before resuming her pace back to her rooms, not looking behind her. She ignored all the guards now. She rounded the corner closer to her room and ducked into it, snapping the door closed behind her. She put her basket on the table and tossed her sheer black shawl onto her chair. She was given no time to breathe as a knock came on her door. She opened it and he stepped inside. When she turned around from locking the door, his glamor magic faded away. Her chest hurt again.

His injuries weren't too serious, he only looked worse than he was, she knew that, but…

He chuckled as he stood in the center of her room. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

She stumbled over her words at first, finding her voice again. "Everyone thought you were dead!" She grew angry then and stalked up to him, shoving him back. "And they kept it from me! I found out barely an hour ago! How many more times will I have to hear you have died?"

"As many as possible." He gripped her wrists, holding her still. "As many as it takes to get out of here. However, I have something I have to do, and we don't have much time. The convergence is upon us. I suggest staying here, to be safe until it passes. Thor is fighting his hardest, but he may fail. We need to see what the outcome will be before another move is made."

She gave up fighting his hold, finding the words to hold truth. "We'll always be in danger, won't we?"

"I know a few more Asgardians that would be more than willing to fight with us. But yes, we will always be in danger. I need to know, now, before anything else happens here. Will you follow me, no matter the choices we both make?" He leaned down to catch her gaze. "I need to know you will keep up with me. You're the last person I want to leave behind. I need to know that you see how it must be."

She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. When she looked at him, she grinned. "Keep it interesting, and I'll stay your partner in crime for as long as you'll have me."

He gave an amused purr. "Oh I think I can keep it interesting." He let go and looked around her room. Not much had changed since he was able to see it last. More books lined her shelves, and a few small paintings laid stacked against a wall. He looked at the titles that had taken residence in her room. "I see you've been improving your alchemy."

She shrugged as he glanced back at her. "Why waste my energy healing someone all the way when I can let them deal with their pain, numbing it with the potions?" She went to her basket, unpacking the regents one by one. "I would tire easily during the sessions when they came to see me again. I would get sick easily, and I couldn't cure myself, not in that state." She brushed dust off the vile of basilisk venom. "Then I realized, why should I wear myself to illness and fatigue for ungrateful bastards who don't so much as thank me." She saw him from the corner of her eye, knowing he was analyzing her. "The potions finish what I start. It just gives the patients more time to wallow in the pain that they almost always deserve."

She jumped as his hand rested on her shoulder. She hadn't noticed him move. "How much happened while I was gone?" His voice had gone quiet.

"I thought this was a change you valued I made," she said, keeping her attention on the regents.

"I do. But… before the Bifrost, before New York you still valued your life here."

She shook her head. "No. Ever since we came back and they heard I had magic, I was shown just how easily you will be stabbed in the back. And when the rumor was leaked that we had started a relationship, they believed I would try to take the same path you did." She scoffed. "Stupid really. I don't have a lust for the crown."

"I do not lust for power," he said, a snarl in his voice. "It is my birthright, and you know this!"

"I never said it wasn't," she answered calmly, finally drawing her attention from the regents to him. "But doesn't every prince lust after the crown at some point? Of the power it holds? It could be for reasons to better the people, or to just hold what is rightfully yours." She sighed and leaned on the desk. "Your birthright is the Jotun throne. Would have been if you were kept."

"Dyre…"

"I mean no harm. Let me finish." She kept her gaze on the regents, her potion instructions flying through her mind. "Why not start your own empire? You very well could, you know."

"I need to make an example. I am not to be tossed aside like a commoner. I am a rightful king."

"Then prove it. What is a king without his subjects?"

He fell silent then, digesting her words. She looked at him, wary of his silence. He finally smirked and chuckled. "Give it time."

She met his smirk. "I suppose it is the same as it was two years ago." She turned her whole body to him, arms crossed. "What is your first order of me, my king?"

He picked up the vile of basilisk venom. "I need you to incapacitate Odin, once the convergence has taken place. There is something I must do, and I need him out of the picture. Not permanently, but for the right amount of time."

"What do you have in mind?"

"It's safer if you don't know." When she glared at him, he added, "For once, I'm not lying to you to protect you. It truly is better if you don't ask questions. You'd be in enough trouble if the guards suspected anything. I've heard through passing the inner circles you've been bringing him a sleeping drought. I need you to replace that potion with two drops of this one. Tonight."

"And after?"

He let the glamor spell shimmer to life again, taking on the form of the guard. "Make sure there is enough of the invisibility potion for both of us. We'll leave once I come for you again."

She gripped his arm as he tried to slip by her. "Loki. You've left me behind twice in the past two years. How can I know this won't be the same?" She glared at him. "Don't perceive me to be a fucking innocent girl any longer." Her lip curled. "I've let patients die before. They rubbed me the wrong way. I've caused a few accidents, to those who deserved it, of course. Don't you dare, for a moment, believe I will slow you down. From the day you and I ran into each other in the markets, I've been able to finally see the other Asgardians as they truly are. You said it yourself. My magic struggles in healing now. I hardly practice it." She gripped harder on the summoned armor. "Whatever my king orders, I will follow." She gave a light bark of a laugh. "But make sure I have a worthy position in your army. I'm sick of being the good doctor."

He started to advance on her, driving her back. "Can I be so sure of that? Could you guarantee such loyalty? Do you know what I could ask you to do?"

"I have a good idea. The man who controlled the chitauri, who fooled us all into thinking he was dead twice, you must have such thoughts in that brilliant mind of yours." She gave her short laugh again. "But I also have had thoughts of my own. You would benefit from my plans, just as you have since we were young." Her back hit the wall and his weight was over hers. He let the glamor spell fade away. "Keep me by your side through this, and you'll have endless to do to keep you entertained." She faintly thrust out her jaw. "If that is acceptable."

"I think it'll do for now," he growled, though it turned into an amused chuckle against her throat. "When did you fully become such a wildcat?"

"When I realized I don't follow the same path as these people." She gasped in surprise as he gripped her thighs, hoisting her to his hips. "What do you say?"

She couldn't mistake the mischief in his eyes. "Stay as you are, and we just might have a happy relationship. Now, I believe we should seal the deal like old times…"


	39. 28

_"Two drops. I don't need him dead. Not yet."_

Her legs shook slightly as she took a small vial with her to Odin's chambers. She hadn't been able to calm down before she realized it was time to deliver the potion and had to shoo him from her room. The guards bowed her in like always, closing the doors behind her. Odin stood in front of his balcony, overlooking the sea the bodies had been cast out in. She wordlessly took the dropper from her vial and added exactly two drops to Odin's tea.

"Dyre."

She froze, as if saying her name trapped her. "Yes, my king?"

"Have you ever forgiven your father of his sins?"

Her breath stopped. What sort of question was that? "I'm not sure I understand the question, my king." She put the vial in her satchel and turned to where Odin stood. She kept her gaze down.

"Before his death, he spent two hundred years as an abusive man, had he not? Hadn't he made choices you wish were not true?"

She swallowed, as if digesting the memories. "I don't think I have had enough time to forgive him." There was no sense lying. She was indeed bringing him a sleeping aid. There was no lying in this act. "The good could not outweigh the bad. The things…" She clasped her hands together in front of her. "I have accepted what happened. It doesn't haunt or drive me. I just have the memories, like any other. Due to that, I can truly weigh the past and what I had known to be the present."

Odin nodded. "Do you believe you will ever forgive his actions?"

"With all due respect, my king, with another three thousand years without my father to turn to, I'll forgive him someday, wondering what he would have said to help me in the ways of fatherly advice."

He chuckled a bit and she finally noticed a raven hop from behind his body on the railing. "I suppose you are right. I have forgotten what it is like to think like a son, and not a father." His figure nodded to the sky. "Come look, Dyre."

She hesitated. She almost forgot that she had known this man as her best friends' father for most of her life. As a close friend of her father. She held on to the railing lightly as she grew closer. Her breath stopped.

_The Convergence…_

"Even now, my son fights to protect all the realms." Even through his beard she could see his smile. "He is ready."

She swallowed hard, remembering her proven advice. To stay safe. "It is best to rest while you can. No matter the outcome, you will need strength. To welcome either Thor, or Malekith."

He nodded and approached the mug of tea, draining it in one go.

She left the chambers before anything more happened. She could not be a witness to anything if it happened in her absence…

* * *

It was the screams in the streets she heard first in the hours before dawn. Then it was her dog hurrying inside the room, whining, tail hidden between his shaggy legs. She rushed to her window. Nothing met her gaze. She wasn't on the correct side of the palace to see it. She kept silent, taking in the sounds that had woken her. Ten minutes had passed, and it seemed to have calmed down. Even so, she did not emerge from her room for anything.

A knock jostled her from a doze she had unwillingly dropped into. Markku only growled for a moment as he approached the door. Once he sniffed under it, he backed away. She frowned at the dog, but approached the door carefully. She held a small ball of magic in her palm. She twisted her wrist, so it was hidden from view. "Who is it?"

"A guard in need of a potion. I knew I'd find you here instead."

She opened the door, but took the guard's wrist, twisting his body so she had him trapped to her chest and face to the door, her magic at his neck. "When we were children, what did I say about your magic?"

His glamor spell vanished as he chuckled into the door. "You said it was a gift. You were one of the last people I would have thought to say that." He rolled his shoulders against her grip, but she held firm. "Mm, damn, we don't have time for bondage today. We have to get out. Do you have the potion ready?"

She released the magic, letting him go. "I do, but there's one problem…" She pointed to the dog, who had remained surprisingly quiet.

He pressed his lips together in a fine line before a sigh of amusement sifted through his nose. "I have a confession. I may have possessed your dog a bit. And he may have a bit of a residual connection to me."

Her head swam. "Wait. Wha- why would you possess my dog?" The look he had said it all. "Oh you slick bastard. So because you used him as a peeping tom, he can be controlled by you?"

"You're taking this better than I thought you would."

"I need you unharmed to get out of here." She looked at the dog. "So you control his motions and use him as a distraction to clear a path through crowds."

"You've got the potion. Time to go." He nodded to her nightdress. "Though not in that, I hope. We'll both be useless fighting."

"I have been putting my earnings and new contacts to use." She escaped to her wardrobe, sifting through her dresses. She let out a triumphant sound. "Eyes closed."

"Quickly." He humored her and closed his eyes, turning his back to her.

He surprised her, but she kept her focus on dressing, starting with tossing her now-useless heels across the room, not even flinching as they struck the wall. She adjusted her tights and took off the garters holding them up. She stuffed both legs through a pair of light cloth-lined leather pants, only coming close to losing her balance once. She deftly unlaced the corset to her dress and hefted the whole thing, bodice and all off her body. She pulled on a tight leather undershirt, dyed black, and over it a securing corset. She dressed within the span of two minutes, and had added high boots, short gloves, her satchel, and a thick belt.

He grunted his impatience as she secured a traveling cloak around her shoulders, not pulling her hair from the hood. "Any Convergence now, Dyre."

"Don't be a prat," she hissed. She followed the tether around her neck to the vial beneath her cloak. She put the cork to her teeth and tugged, spitting it out into her other hand. "I think I did very well for a woman getting dressed. You can turn around now." She bit her lip and grinned when she saw the immediate flicks of his eyes. "Practical enough?"

He nodded to the satchel. "Your wares?"

"It's bigger than you'd think." She tilted the vial slightly. "We won't be able to see each other."

He nodded. "Follow the dog. I will lead him in the right direction. I won't be able to tell if you've fallen behind."

"I can keep up."

He nodded to the vial. "Bottom's up then."

* * *

Keeping up with the Convergence going on right next to them wasn't as easy as she had first thought. They both had to be extra aware of their surroundings. They had to avoid colliding with anyone, or anything that could fall on them and show their forms. She held her cloak tight to her frame, keeping the waist-long fabric as close to her as she could. Her satchel was pressed to her side as she kept up her awareness.

Markku's tail had been somewhat of a directional. It tended to lean in the direction he turned. Keeping up became easier as the throngs of people faded away. Markku's pace increased, and Dyre began running to keep up, glad she had been sensible with choice of boots. The dog dipped forward, pace wavering for only a moment as his course wobbled. All at once he took off to the left. The ball of her left foot dug into the ground as she suddenly shifted her course. The sounds of the Convergence faded away as they escaped into the woods nearby. He did this a few more times, each time changing direction sharply. He suddenly vanished through a thick patch of vines. The vines parted again for seemingly nothing right in front of her, letting her dip through, plunging the both of them into complete darkness.

"Hold on, Dyre. Drop the spell."

She let the spell drop as fire came to life on a torch in front of her, illuminating a narrow passageway. Her chest started to hurt. "I think I just realized I'm claustrophobic."

"Think you can handle it for a little while?"

She swallowed hard and nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'll have to." She shifted her hood on, holding on to the fabric a little longer than necessary. She watched Markku sniff along the borders of the firelight. "How long is a little while?"

"It's been a long time since I've taken this path. Half hour, possibly."

Her deep breathing turned shaky. "I-I can do this."

"Come. The sooner the better. The other two are waiting for us. There is one more thing I must do in Asgard. I won't be gone long."

She started following him, not willing to be left behind in the dark. "You're leaving me with people I've never met. Do you know how that sounds?"

"You've never met them. I have. They're loyal, to say the least."

"Loyal but not trustworthy?"

"Not yet."

"What about me?"

He looked at her, his features sharpened in the firelight. "Are you asking if I trust you?"

She nodded. "Or am I just loyal as well?"

He chuckled at her words, his pace never breaking. "Clever in being cautious. But yes, I do trust you. Otherwise I would have not laid my trust in you to let us both escape. Speaking of, you do have the extra vial, right?"

"Had just enough time to make it," she said, patting her satchel, even though his sight was set ahead. "Do I even want to know what you need to return to do?"

"Best you don't know."

She watched Markku sniffing ahead, still just within range of the light. "Best I don't know as in I'd tell you to not do it, or that it would be in my best interest to not know?"

"A little of both, actually." Markku jumped down a crevice ahead of them and Loki followed. He helped Dyre down. "The less you know of my personal missions, the better."

She understood what to expect from him, and how far to push her trust with him. "I'll trust you'll tell me everything you'll wish to tell me without my interrogation?" She could have sworn the walls were getting narrower.

"Exactly. The easiest way to not push my temper these days is to not ask questions unless prompted. And do not make me repeat myself."

"You know I hate that as much as you. And that I can hold my tongue." The walls for sure were closing in. Her heart began to race. The nerves in her limbs felt numb and her stomach twisted.

She hadn't noticed a whimper that left her. His pace slowed for the briefest of moments as she was forced to stand behind him. She felt his calloused fingertips brush against hers as he reached back. She gripped his hand harder than she intended, but he didn't flinch. He only twined their fingers. "This is as bad as it gets."

She nodded and he kept going, keeping up with Markku. His pace increased slightly, spurred on by Dyre's growing anxiety. "Where will we go?"

"We'll be roaming for some time until we can get a foothold somewhere. It won't be easy for awhile, but we can do it. There will be three of us who can use magic, and one with extremely strong offense and defense. And there's also your potions. I need your skills."

Her eyes narrowed. "Just my skills?"

"Of course. I am referring to your… other skills." His voice betrayed the smirk he was trying to hide. "Where else would I look for someone that could satisfy whatever task I gave her, no matter how intimate they were to get?"

"Only because I trust you." The walls started to pull back. "You've never truly given me a reason to distrust you."

"You've never given me reason to lie to you to hurt you. Everyone else has." Once the passage widened enough, he used his hold on her hand to pull her up next to him. He held her to him, his arm over her shoulders. He leaned forward to look around the cloak. "Remain faithful to your king, and we'll have no trouble."

"Expect none from me." She grew more relaxed as the walls stayed at a comfortable range. They moved in silence the rest of the way. She felt a shift in pressure, making her look around.

"We've passed through. We're not much farther."

She felt a sudden rush of energy. She pulled forward out of his grasp, turning to face him, Markku at her heels. "If that's the case, let's run the rest of the way. The sooner the better, correct?" She bounced once before turning around, dropping into a run. The firelight let her know he had taken up the challenge. Twice he caught up to her, and twice she managed to get ahead. A dot of light started to get larger and larger ahead of them. They ignored the echo of their footfalls and the scratching of nails that was the dog.

They both stopped short as they emerged onto a grassy cliff, the roar of a waterfall taking over their senses, mist blocking their vision. The Convergence was happening there as well.

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere on Midgard. Thankfully no humans are near this one. It's mainly animals."

"Mainly?"

"I did say we were meeting the two here."

At once they both felt a ripple of energy tear through the air. They both threw up shields to dispel the magic. They immediately had to dodge out of the way of a massive axe swing.

The attacks did not stop. The magic tore through the air again, sending a pulse down Dyre's spine. Her shield held firm against the magic, but only just. The axe swings were now focused on Loki, who was maneuvering with ease away from them. He cast illusions and threw his magic. Dyre managed to send a few waves of her own spells at the blonde woman hovering in the air before her.

All at once, everyone was held in place by tendrils of energy. Dyre was let free first. "What a memorable first impression. Is this how you greet old acquaintances, Amora?"

The woman huffed and crossed her arms as the magic was abated. She thrust a hip out, throwing her weight to one side. "I like to be sure of my current ones, Liesmith."

"As I recall, you were not the one deceived in our partnership." He waved it off, a smirk on his face as he cast his gaze down, thoughtful and amused. "No. The way I remember it, you taught me magic just to get close to my brother. You managed to catch me at my worst. You were the one to twist the strings that time, Witch." He flicked his gaze up. "But what does it matter?" He tilted his chin up and cocked it slightly. A silent challenge. "It's in the past, right?"

Amora slowly nodded. The axe-wielder stood there in silence. She spoke first. "Under the bridge." She looked over Dyre. "And who is this?"

"This is Dyre. She can hold her own. I trust her."

Amora smirked. "I see." She flicked her gaze over Dyre, making the young woman uncomfortable. "She's the one, eh?" She tilted her chin. "Not the most beautiful lass in the world. But I suppose I see the appeal."

"A woman obsessed with her appearance would not be able to keep up with me right now." He grinned at the women. "Vanity will get us nowhere right now. We need to think bigger. And to do bigger, it will take some time."

Dyre crossed her arms and stood to the side as he took a seat on a rock, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees and fingers laced together between his knees.

Amora frowned. "You seem to have some sort of idea in that mind of yours."

He chuckled. It soon turned into a cackle that he slowly bit back. "We need the ultimate chaos. The true sign of leadership. It needs to be released and commanded."

Dyre had a slight clue where he was going. She would be able to verify how far into the darkness he had slipped through the short years. Through that, she could see how far she herself had slipped.

"Ladies and… gentleman," he held his arms in front of him and swept them out, summoning an illusion of destruction. Fire, death, chaos rose in droves. A large wolf, and an even larger wyrm faded in and out, devouring victims, Asgardians and humans alike. The world eventually ended up submerged underwater. Stragglers were restarting what they could.

The gods would fall.

Dyre caught a breath in her throat, knowing instantly what she would be doing with her life.

She held no regrets. She'd follow him, using her abilities for whatever her king needed.

That didn't mean she wasn't terrified of what was to come.

He cackled again. "I give you… Ragnarok."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for now. I'll take requests for one-shots and/or drawings if wanted. Anything from fluffy to explicit, I don't mind. PM or post in a review if you're feeling bold. I don't mind anon requests. I'm currently working on Dyre's final outfit. Follow my DeviantART account under the name LuciferDragon for the art, and follow the story here for the one-shot requests.
> 
> This story will be updated as Loki has appearances in the cinamatic universe, as long as it it is believable for Dyre to be in the story.


	40. Chapter 40

_Ragnarok, huh?_

Dyre let out a breath of a laugh and rested her head against her knees, gazing out the ravine before her to the waterfall half a mile away. She couldn’t be sure where she was, but she knew it was somewhere deep in mountain ranges of Earth. The surroundings and atmosphere said that much.

She had found the company of Amora and her Executioner off-putting, and so opted to leave their makeshift camp while they waited for Loki’s return. She felt judged, watched, and she wasn’t wrong to feel so. However, she trusted them just as little as they trusted her. Which was good, in a way. She couldn’t stay away long though. Her stomach gave a slight protest, making her shift to her feet.

“You don’t have to rise on my account, as flattering as it is.”

She let out a hum of amusement. “Don’t flatter yourself, Love. Your ego doesn’t need much more preening.”

“It could always use a little more.” Loki stood at her side, overlooking the ravine with her.

“Did you do what you had to?”

“Yes, but it will be in installments.” He nodded to her satchel. “You grabbed everything for the invisibility potions, correct?”

“Of course. Though installments? Really? I do not know these people and they look at me like I am a frail little girl.” She sneered at the far-off mountains. “Are you sure you trust their loyalty?”

“No. I can only trust they want change, and that while I am providing it, I hold the cards.” He chuckled. “It sounds like you’re more riled up that you think they believe you frail. You and I both know this is not the case.” He turned his gaze to her then. “Against them, though, you are frail. Do not forget this fact.”

She chose to not answer, seeing where he was taking his words. She knew long ago to never bite at his quips.

“I say this to protect you, not to piss you off.” He stood in front of her. “I know your capabilities. I know you would not stand a chance against them. They work together.”

“You know the powers I had two years ago when you left me behind the first time.” She kept his gaze. “You knew I couldn’t follow you then, didn’t you?”

He pressed his lips together, a heavy breath sifting through his nose. “I knew you were still confused on your own path. I knew you didn’t have the capability to keep up with what I had to do.” He shook his head. “Listen to me as your friend, Dyre. Do not give them a reason. I cannot be around to protect you.” The next thing he knew he was cracked against the gut by a whip of force, knocking the wind clear out of him as he stumbled back. He shook his head.

“I told you, I am not some weak little girl.” She threw another blow that he barely missed blocking. Another ball of her crackling energy followed, and another. He was finally able to cross his arms, generating a shield to keep her magic at bay. She held both hands at her sides, each holding a swirling mass of black and pear green.

His gaze locked on how solid the spheres where. Before, they still had a swirl of motion across the surface, licking against her hand. Now, it looked like she was holding two matte bowling balls, constantly shifting in listless patterns with its color. He lowered his arms slightly. “Dyre…”

“Call me frail once more.” She flashed her teeth in a grin. “Two years in mourning, in anger, hatred, and depression, it drives you to learn more than anything in the world.”

“How far have you expanded your abilities?”

“I’d rather not destroy the trees. They’re quite lovely, actually.” She clenched her palms up into fists, dispersing the energy.

He checked his shoulder before turning back to her. “You have my attention. I see you did learn much more than that binding spell you used on me in that cell.”

“Quite a bit.”

He studied her for a moment, eyes curious. “You said much happened while I was away that made you shift your alignment. It had to be something terrible for you to become this woman.”

She tilted her eyes away. Besides that, she gave no tells.

“Dyre. Tell me what happened. Really.”

She crossed her arms. “You have more important things to worry about than my alignment.”

He grinned, eyes shifting to mischief. “No, see, this is fun. You have a secret you’re keeping from me, and I want to know.” He stalked up to her, though she turned her back to him. He only dipped down and curved his body around hers. “Your king wants to know the depth of your loyalty, my pet.”

She ground her teeth and clenched her hand into a fist.

“What could have happened while I was away to show you that Asgardians really are so selfish and beneath us?”

She felt her magic simmer under her skin with her anger.

“Did you start listening to what your patients were really complaining about? Did you realize how pathetic their whines were?” He shook his head. “No, not just that.” His chuckle warmed her neck as his arms practically slithered around her. “Was it the gossip of our risqué intimacy?”

Her magic flared over her arms as she pulled away. “Stop prying, Loki. I mean it.”

“I thought I deserved to know why you’d be so loyal to me after everything I’ve done.” He crossed his arms, his amusement fading. “We’ve known each other when we were still naïve. When we still thought the world was simple. You know why I changed. Why have you taken my path?”

She let the magic dissipate, reigning in her anger. She swallowed hard. “You know about the rumors of the baby. You know the gist of why I’ve started straying.”

“I remember. But none of that should have kept you to this path.”

“It didn’t.” She shook her head, forcing herself to be honest. She needed to be. He deserved to know. “Not many were happy about the pregnancy. Mother especially. She did her duties as a woman of medicine, but besides that, she kept her distance. She didn’t want to associate with her grandchild.”

“Not surprising, given the circumstances.” He kept his distance, sensing she needed a little space to breathe for the moment.

“Not really, no. It was only when she voiced her actual opinions did I understand just how much she despised the result of our liaison.” She clenched her jaw and kept her sight forward. “I could tolerate the ones about you and I. Those I knew otherwise. But the speculations of our child… She called it a thing. She said she was glad I never brought ‘the bastard’ to term.” She shook her head. “I knew she spoke out of hatred of your actions, but still.” She felt sick. “That is why I kept to this path. I have no loyalties. Not to them.”

“What of Thor?”

“I still owe him loyalty, but I will do what I have to, if it comes to it.” She turned and kept his gaze. “Happy now, my king?”

“I feel as if answering that would do more harm than good for me in the long run.”

She rolled her eyes, and he gently approached her. “Meaning you are.”

“In a way. At least now I know why you have become who you are.” He held her arms. “But am I happy that your mother spat upon the idea of our child? I’m livid.” He watched her gaze keep on his chest, not really focused. “Now I can be sure you’ll be able to keep up. I really didn’t want to leave you behind again.”

“Why did you?”

“I wasn’t sure you were ready to turn your back on your life just yet. So, to keep you safe, you were kept in the dark. Risking anything else would have been disastrous.” He shrugged. “And we wouldn’t be here now.” He pushed her hair behind her ear. “Look, I know you probably won’t want me to, but I can set her on fire just a little next time I go to Asgard.”

She chuckled a bit, her focus finally coming back. “No, don’t bother.” She sighed. “So what now?”

“What do you mean?”

She gestured between them. “Where does that leave us? Just out of curiosity. Where do we go from here?”

He pulled a mock thoughtful look. “Well, I was kind of hoping we could fool around a little bit, and then maybe-“ He laughed as she pushed his chest. “Alright. From here, we take it a day at a time. This is going to take some time. A few years, at least.”

“Not out here, I hope.”

He scoffed. “Jungle-boy I am not. No, I’ve… acquired a few assets to give us a base of operations, somewhere to lay low.”

“I don’t care how you operate, remember?”

“Fine. I tricked a few Midgardians into servitude, nothing too horrible.”

She shrugged. “Alright, then what?”

“Then we start to gather what we’ll need, which may take some time. At least we’ll stay busy.”

“And once you have it all?”

He frowned. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Rule all of Midgard, I suppose. Rebuild it under my command, as it should be.”

She nodded. “I see. So, just rule the Earth? King of all Midgard. They shall all bow to you upon command.”

He hummed in approval. “Yes.”

“They will do as you say, for they are meant to be ruled.”

His next hum bordered a purr. “Of course. Their pathetic and feeble minds can’t handle power. They need one true king.”

She felt his presence become heavy as she stroked his ego. She dropped her voice. “Oh yes. They kill each other daily over petty disagreements. You’ll free them from themselves. They will grow to worship you.”

“Mm.” He tilted her chin up. “Speaking of, I have something you can get on your knees for.”

“I bet you do.” She felt for herself and heat flashed from her core at his hiss of pleasure.

His jaw threatened to go slack. “Oh, that hour in your room was not enough.” He took her hand away. “Though we’ll wait until I can take you properly. The dirt is the last place I’d subject either of us to.”

She shrugged and leaned up to his ear. “No one said we had to get in the dirt. I’m sure these trees are pretty sturdy.”

His grip on her tightened. “This is true.” Without warning he hefted her to his hips, forcing a squeak from her. “They do seem thick.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Shut up and get your pants off.”

He purred. “Yes ma’am.” He went to kiss her but pulled back, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “You know, Midgard is pretty large. I might need some help ruling it. Care to spread chaos with me, until the end?”

“Mm, I thought you’d never ask.”

His smile grew sinful. “Good. Now… where were we?”


End file.
